First a little background: We live in a rural area with dirt and gravel roads. It's been this way since the first person built a home in the early 1930s. Naturally there is dust when it's dry (and hey, it's Arizona so it's dry a lot). The people who bought the house behind our property came from the city. Nothing has changed about the area they purchased in, but now they are on an anti-dust campaign. Seems they have to dust and vacuum, and she is allergic. The road in discussion is an easement across our acreage, and though we have to allow traffic to pass, it is still private property.
So a neighbor had a garage sale which brought more traffic than usual to the area, and being non-residents, they drove a little faster than they should have. More dust. So the "anti-dust" neighbors (we'll call them Jean and Gary to protect their identity), posted a number of signs on their trash cans and placed them along the road. They had messages like: "Dust is awful" "Slow down please, pretty please" and similar words. Apparently another neighbor who will refer to as "Tim" offered to help them by placing a "real" sign along the road. A kind act, since he donated his time, his sign and the energy needed to poke a hole in hard soil. The only problem, Tim decided that the best place for his sign was on our property.
He selected a place in direct sight of our patio, as we look out across the valley, and about six feet in from the edge of the road into our "back yard". He gathered his digging bar, sign, post, shovel and a bag of cement. What he didn't bother to gather was permission. He dug and cemented it in place. We happened to notice it the next day. At the time, we had no idea who had done this, so I printed a brightly colored notice and attached it over the sign. Simply stated, it said the sign was placed without consent, and we would like to know who put it there. I also added that if no contact was made in 3 days it was subject to removal without further discussion. Basically I didn't disagree with the sign's message, only with the method of installation and location.
The notice was up and I got several contacts curious what was going on. One neighbor said he saw Tim with the tools earlier in the week, but assumed he was going to remove a large rock from the roadway. Then an envelope appeared clipped to the sign. A note that indicated how dusty their home was, and the sensitivity to dust that Jean has. We were then chastised for being such "astonishingly bad neighbors" to not want this sign in place. It went on for a full page of hate and discontent. Amazing, since all I asked was who put it in, and could we discuss the location.
When we went to Jean and Gary to discuss the note, we were met with a defensive attitude, and they wouldn't say who did the installation. I told them I knew who it was. They proceeded to defend him for doing such a kind deed. No regards was given to the fact that he trespassed without permission and set the sign in concrete. Further, he had talked to them about it after my notice was posted, and never contacted me. We were then told "how busy Tim is and it would be a real hardship for him to move it, and he would be out of town for two weeks but would move it to their side of the road when he got back. Well, he was back and after another week, went on vacation without contacting me or moving the sign.
So after waiting a month since the "installation" I removed the sign and post and relocated it about 150 feet up the road (still on my property) and reinstalled it. It is now more visible to traffic before they are right in front of the house. It also isn't in my direct view. I would have helped Tim install it there in the first place, had he asked.
Do you think Jean or Gary have sent another note? When they drive past us walking the dogs do you suppose they say "Thanks"? And better yet, do you suppose they drive slowly down the road not to stir up the "awful dust"? If you kept thinking "No", you would be right on all counts.
It's tough being the awful neighbor...but looking at the "good" ones, I'll stick with my awful tactics.
I'm open to opinion and comments.
3 comments:
Some people just refuse to be reasonable! Dust is awful, and dirt is...so dirty. Everyone knows that dust is responsible for horrible things such as the lung disease, Pneumoconiosis. This unbelievable danger has resulted in a number of laws regulating environmental standards; yet you remain stubbornly in violation. We could report you to the authorities. A truly thoughtful neighbor would remove all that dusty dirt from your property, and replace it with a nice lawn, or by paving with concrete. And they'd yank out all those weedy things growing everywhere on your property, because as you must realize, some people have allergies. Another thing, callous neighbor, you have ROCKS all over the place! How would you feel if one of us tripped over one, stubbed a toe, or worse, twisted an ankle! At a minimum, these rocks are a hazard. Please remove them, or we will have to. What you really need to do is cover your "yard" all over in nice soft sod. And keep it green and supple. That way, when we need to put up the next sign (or lemonade stand), nobody will twist an ankle (or worse) and be forced to pursue legal remedy. Additionally, we would have a nice place to roll around, and all our pets will have a soft place to 'do their business'. Nice, neighborly lawns are also NOT dusty.
I leave you with this: Your dust is a veritable EVIL. Dust is the kibble of Satan! "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, ...upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life" Genesis 3:14. The Bible also describes dust as a weapon: "And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing..."Rev 18:19.
You have the power to stop OUR crying, weeping and wailing, and then you would no longer be such astonishingly bad neighbors.
Peace and harmony to you.
I just read this and the comment above. A couple of things here. 1. Arizona is a Desert. Been that way for a long time. If dust bothered me, I would pick a beach city to live. 2. Air purifier, they make them, they attach to your air conditioning. Been around for a long time. 3. Dust coming in your house? New windows. They make these also. Kinda of like moving to the Mountains and hating Pine trees and asking everyone to take theirs out because you hate them. I think I would have noticed all the dirt when I was looking at the home I was going to purchase. Another solution might be to pay for the "Sod" and installation, gardner and water bill. Bet they would let you do it.
My initial response is “F them”. Such actions would not be tolerated here in “civilization” and would most likely result in local authorities and possibly attorneys’ involvement. But at the end of the day, I guess what you “should” do depends on where you want your relationship with these folks to go. “Jean & Gary” appear to be self-centered narrow minded dolts that I personally would not waste any time, energy or consideration on. They don’t sound like anyone that you’d have much in common with anyway. Best let them focus on how to rid the dessert of so much dust and whatnot.
Tim may be embarrassed in that he thought he was trying to help out the newbies, and in the process overlooked or assumed some common considerations. In his case, I’d ensure he understands your position; exactly as you so elegantly laid it out. If he doesn’t get it, well then F him too. The loss would be theirs.
An alternative solution would be to have another garage sale, I’m sure one of the “shoppers” would enjoy a free sign.
Post a Comment