Do we smell?

Jason made a comment several weeks back on how it's nice having good neighbors who actually help us out when asked. For some reason most of the places we've lived the nice has been all lip service.

I started talking with Carrie about this rather common phenomenon in the military. We've both experienced the same thing with our respective neighbors. For me I can't help think it's Jason and I which causes this behavior in others. While I know this isn't true some part must be true for it to keep happening.

I'm not saying our neighbors haven't helped us out because they have. When I moved the boys and I from Auerbach to Grafenwoehr our neighbors helped. Once we left the street we became persona non grata. I tried gathering everyone together for dinner in thanks only it felt as if we dropped off the face of the earth. Everyone had a reason why they couldn't come over but they had no problem doing things with each other on our old street or when they all moved to a completely different city. Although this is the same neighborhood where I got the 'we help each other out all the time' which was a complete bullshit phrase being uttered from their mouths. The few times I needed help with the boys, those three people fumbled around for their excuses.

Or maybe I should look at this from a purely military perspective. You're a good neighbor as long as you live there. Once you move you no longer exist. I know from talking with others they've felt this just as much as I have. This troubles me because we're all in the same situation you'd think we'd bond together in some type of solidarity. Doesn't happen especially if you don't fall into their unwritten rules of how a spouse should behave. Or whatever they have going through their heads.

It's just nice knowing we have neighbors who actually follow through on their saying ask us for anything. Or who'll help out in a pinch as I've run across the street to Jan when a swarm of wasps came out of the bushes I was trimming back. Or Tom helping carry in our new chair as he saw us struggling one night while walking his dog. Things like this never happened before without a feeling of our imposing on those being asked. We'll enjoy this giddy feeling of neighborly good while it lasts.