Day 62

I know things about my neighbors that I didn’t know before.

I didn’t know, for instance, that one of my neighbors mows his lawn every afternoon at 4:00. When I used to pass that house, I would have said, “Look, there’s a house.” Now I know to say, “Look, there’s an insane person’s house.”

On a similar note, I can tell you that no less than four houses in the neighborhood have signs on the lawn featuring crossed-out pictographs of dogs doing their business. So instead of having to contemplate a dog “biscuit” every random once in a while, the view out their front window includes a picture of a pooping dog all the time every day.

These are the kinds of things you only notice when you ambling toward nowhere in particular.

I’ve found a couple houses with those street-side tiny libraries. I’ve been wondering what the most interesting books would be to fill them up with. I was thinking, like, replace all books with different field guides to local snakes, but there might be more fun in going subtle. I should get a book about famous unsolved murders, and tip in a couple of extra pages featuring their own house. With pictures of them weeding in the garden.

I’m tempted to wonder what my neighbors have learned about me. Probably there’s not much they didn’t already know. Or at least suspect.

They know I procrastinate taking the garbage out, and end up rolling the bin to the street, quietly as I can, late at night.

They know I’m new at the drums.

Aside from that, I don’t think we’re that interesting. Which is sad. So how should I make myself known to my neighbors? There’s already a house with a giant wooden donkey in the front yard, so that’s out. Maybe I could be the guy who always has oddly-shaped boxes delivered. Or we could be the house with the infestation of turtles. I bet, with some thought, and a small investment of time and money, we could go a long way toward the entertainment of all those other folks out on aimless walks.