Won't you be my neighbor

Well, here's part one of what is sure to become an ongoing series on my new neighbors. Already in less than two weeks I've met more neighbors here than I had in two years in the old hood. Which would be three that I actually talked to. There's a nice couple downstairs on the end who were the first to speak to me. Dorrie I think her name is and Ollie is definitely his name. They appear to be German or maybe Dutch, although they don't speak with an accent - they just have that look. They're transplants from Albany and have two adorable tow-headed kids that remind me of my own daughter at that age.

Yesterday, I met the little old lady that lives directly under me. I guess I'm not making too much noise because she said she didn't realize I had taken that apartment. Of course, I suspect she's half deaf anyway. She looks to be in her late 80s but she's very active. People are always coming to pick her up and take her somewhere and she's always well dressed. She didn't tell me her name.

Otherwise, I've formed a nodding acquaintance with a couple of younger girls who have noticed me sitting on the deck as they walk in. One of them looks to be Hispanic or maybe a lighter skinned black woman. She appears to be in the military unless she just dresses occassionally in camo and combat boots for the fun of it. She's not around much but when she is, she's always on her cell phone and it seems she has a torrid love thang going on with one of the local cops. He's forever stopping by on patrol and she hangs in the window of his cop car for long periods of time. There's also one really attractive young thing who drives a God-awful rattrap of a car that leaks oil and sounds like a tank. She's a snot though. She carefully avoids eye contact and just the way she walks around telegraphs her high opinion of herself. I would guess by the hours she keeps, she's a waitress.

I also seem to have a state trooper living in the building next door. The car is often there at the end of the day. I haven't seen him yet but it certainly makes the neighborhood feel safe. A feeling that was reinforced by the garage that somebody left open for days with a really expensive bike just sitting there in public view. That wouldn't have lasted two hours anywhere else I lived, even in Noho.

Otherwise, I've just been observing from the deck. There's a whole cadre of walkers who make the rounds in the evenings. One odd couple, a really muscular white guy a shaved head and a heavyset really black skinned woman are regulars. There's a few other nondescript overweight women who make the tour alone at certain times. One in particular stands out because she walks in clogs and her shoes squeak. There also seems to be a prepondence of muscular guys with shaved heads around. They all kind of look alike but I'm pretty sure there's at least three different ones.

The other thing that stands out is the dogs. This is a pet friendly community and they take that seriously here for sure. There are dozens of dogs. Big one, little ones, fat ones, skinny one, some people have two or three. I haven't spent enough time on the street to meet any of them but my favs from afar are the Golden Retreiver and the two little Scottie dogs. I expect I'll meet some of them once I work some time into my routine to start walking myself.