So, I moved here a few years ago, thought it was a nice enough place but wasn't wild about it. A bit too rich, a bit too Republican. Had some nice neighbors, though it was hard to figger 'em. Fine for chatting, in a general way, though.
The neighbors across the street had a little boy a couple of months before the sozlet was born, we'd see them, we'd chat, but they seemed to value their privacy, didn't want to push. Gradually talked to them more, but still a certain distance, after talking to people here (thanks, guys) I took a much bolder move than is my nature and just started going over to their house when I saw them outside with the kid.
That went well, ended up setting up playdates. The kids liked each other. It was fun to talk to an adult on an ongoing basis, but I was exceedingly careful in avoiding politics, religion, things like that. Had already had some bad experiences with other playdate parents with brick walls going up when certain topics came up. Trod carefully.
Well.
The neighbors are totally cool. They're lefty pinko agnostics, funny, smart, good parents, just great. They hate where we all live, too, and want to get out because of all the rich white Republicans. (Sorry, rich white Republicans.) It only took three and a half blinkin' years to figure this out. The kids are best friends, the parents have a great time talking together. We usually schedule two hours and then eventually part ways the first time there is an injury, usually at the four hour mark or so. (Not
usually too severe -- today they bonked heads.
)
It just kind of scares me that I could have been sitting here reaching across the country, nay the world, to find cool people to commune with while totally overlooking the people
right across the street. Wonder how often that happens? (Not so much the Internet part, per se, as the cool people hidden in plain sight.)
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