Last night, whew, one of the most frightening in this home. Also, anyone who thinks I should be fine, having a home, I’d like them to try living with a back fence neighbor like Mitch. Oh yeah, learned his name this week, from one of his neighbors, and found out that stealing utilities and literally anything not nailed down is only one small part of his criminal empire, which also includes meth. Fun!
So last night I’m trying to play DnD with friends online, and my wife hears a scream from the back yard. I didn’t realize the headphones I had muffled everything, but I did see my oldest dog running up and down the fence, barking. It took me more than half an hour to calm her down, all the time I’m studying every bit of the camera feed of the back fence line. At least three times I went back and inspected the area, looking for some kind of clue what’s going on
and I’m already naturally paranoid, not because anyone is specifically out to get me (oh if it was so easy) but because the majority of people would rather see me hurt than themselves inconvenienced. I’m odd, and particularly stick out where I live.
Because that’s the only comfort; Mitch endangers and frightens everyone he meets. That’s his approach to the world. Even though he’s just a sad frightened shell of a man living in the ruins of his father’s life.
So back when this started, my cold war with Mitch, I had planned to replace all my back lights, so I could see what was going on bacck there. The first light I bought and installed never worked, so for four months at least I haven’t had any light back there apart from solar. I’ve had a new light to replace the broken one for a couple weeks, and last night was just the kick in the pants I needed to get it up and working
and now it works, and I feel just a little safer, a little more in control of my life. It’s so silly, such a little thing, a little lightbox and motion sensor can make me feel so much better. Not entirely better, of course. The war won’t be won until either I get out or he leaves. I honestly don’t know which I’d prefer.
2 comments
Do you have him on camera?
not that I’ve been able to find, I think he’s trying to come in one of the blind spots, especially the amount of times the motion lights on the back fence come on even when there is no wind and no animal activity
I also think that the scream might have been one of his other neighbors, that’s how I learned the new info, apparently one of his other neighbors has had him breaking into her shed and hiding stolen motorcycles
it seems like a matter of time before he’s enough trouble all of us pool our resources and file suit OR the local PD gets their act together. Honestly if I could convince enough of them his current behavior would be enough, but our block has it’s own nuisance neighbors too so it might just be a factor of not disruptive enough yet.