Familiarity Breeds

Red Light phoned me earlier in the week and asked if I knew Talker was mad at her, had stopped speaking to her.

Though I had no idea the two had a falling out, I wished she’d have asked me if I cared, because I didn’t.

The two have been thick as thieves, go everywhere together, do everything together, have come to be involved in each other’s family.

Most nights when I head to bed, I see the two sitting on the bench across from my window, enjoying the cool evening air while chatting — but not lately and didn’t think anything of it until I got the call from Red Light saying how hurt she was Talker wasn’t speaking to her. So hurt that she doesn’t "feel like" organizing bingo any longer.

Can we say melodramatic boys and girls.

I don’t know what she expected me to say, if she expected me to take sides, but the whole thing reminded me of elementary school; also reminded me that phrase "Familiarity Breeds Contempt". There’s always drama, in one way or another, when one gets too close to others. That’s why I like being friendly with everyone but keeping a wall around myself that few are ever allowed to gain entry beyond the wall.

The drama in this case, as told by Red Light, is that Talker was at the pool with her little granddaughter. Red Light was with them and talking on the phone to her brother. Talker said something to granddaughter about a plant around the pool that was poisonous, the granddaughter made some kind of macabre joke about using it on someone (that’s the first thing I would have thought of as well, LOL). Red Light’s brother said something about it not being a thing to joke about, tell a child about, and Talker took offense. Red Light’s brother apologized, Talker did not accept the apology and told Red Light that she and her brother "don’t get it".

"What don’t I get, Shirley?" whined Red Light when she was recounting the event to me.

"I don’t know what you don’t get, but I can’t take this seriously" and told her to give it some time, that Talker would get over her anger and they’d be friends again.

"I don’t want to be friends again with her", said Red Light.

We’ll see about that.

I was looking forward to next Friday’s bingo game to see if this elementary school phase was over — that the two were back on speaking terms, sitting at the same bingo table, hanging out at night on the bench. But then …. posted to facebook yesterday was a photo of Talker out having lunch with Painted Rock Lady and a resident who lives around the corner from me.

Ouch! It has to sting that missing from the photo is Red Light who has to have also seen the photo.

We'll see how it goes at next week's bingo but, thus far, we have Dream Lover not talking to his former girlfriend and now Talker and Red Light not speaking.

Familiarity breeds.

I’m just happy to be a loner and that my gut issues got me out of joining the girls for lunch without offending anyone with the truth — that I don’t want to join your lunch group, get that involved, it’s just a little too friendly for me.

I took a drive out of the area after this morning’s workout to pick up a package.

Instead of picking up the package, getting back in the car, driving back to the complex, I first went to check out the store's Halloween display and found the funniest thing.

Distracted from my mission, I picked up a few incidentals and was heading back to the car when I remembered, OH THE PACKAGE!

That's right, I’d almost forgotten what I’d made the trip out of the area for.

Eight more days until the 1st of Halloween and I can begin to set up spooky scary whatnots.

People Who Need People

End of another week here in La La Land.

I had to make a run by the bank yesterday, where I got a new riddle for you.

"Why don't mummies take time off?"

I'll wait for your guess but, in the interim, Craft Wednesday didn’t happen but, shortly after the time Crafts was scheduled to begin, a group text message went out from Crafty Lady …… "I’m in the clubhouse if anyone wants to come join me, even if it’s just to talk".

All of a sudden, I could hear Barbara Streisand in my head singing People Who Need People.

Along with everything else I’ve deduced about Crafty Lady is that she's reading as one of those …… a people who needs people.

She’s gotten very close to some of the Usual Suspects in the short time she’s lived here.

According to an October 9th post on Facebook, Crafty Lady got together with Talker, Talker’s sister, three others, went out for lunch at Fire Wings.

I’ve seen this scenario happen here before, where there’s all this neighborly involvement quick fast because people seem to NEED people.

Remember Red Light?

She too came in like gangbusters, got very involved in the community.

She, Talker, Talker’s sister and others often met up for lunch, went to Senior Expos, Church Fairs and other events together.

Red Light tried to rope me into that let’s all get cozy and too familiar with each other, but I’d declined turning neighbors into besties.

In fact, when I saw online that the Golden Futures Senior Exhibit was coming to town, I signed up, got my ticket early on.

THEN, Red Light somehow got wind of the exhibit, got a group together, invited me to attend with them. Of course, since I declined, I didn't dare use my ticket, chance the risk of running into one of them, which I surely would have.

Some people just enjoy doing things alone, and being left alone.

There's that old Rudyard Kipling saying from his poem "The Winners" …… "He travels the fastest who travels alone," but those ladies would not have been able to understand that.

Since my teen years, I've often been labled as "stuck up", got bullied for it even, just because I'm quiet, enjoy my own company more than being in the company of others.

So, anyway, as for this current togetherness, think back on how all that previous togetherness with Red Light ended …… hateful text messages, threats, hurt feelings.

Familiarity breeds.

Though a beautiful song, I could never buy that people who needed people were lucky. Seemed more like people who needed people were codependent, not comfortable being alone with their own thoughts, alone with their own selves.

I don’t know that, after the text message, anyone went down to the Community Room, but I do know no one responded to the text.

Time will tell how this saga ends but for now, even though Crafts seems to be dying, I got included in a text message that indicated the Usual Suspects are already gearing up for a Thanksgiving event.

Can we get through Halloween first?

As for "Why don't mummies take time off?"

My guess was because they're all wrapped up in their work.

The teller said, "Oh that's a good one, but the answer is "Because they're afraid to unwind".

BREAKING NEWS. Just as I was finishing up this post, I got a text message from Crafty Lady …… "Good morning beautiful, just checking on you, making sure you're alright. I made something for you. When you're free let me know so I can get it to you."

Instantly, Anne Marie popped up in my head with an exasperated "JESUS F__KING CHRIST!!!".

Why is it so hard for her to leave me alone?

I'm not the least bit interested in what she's gone through the trouble to make for me, but replied that I would check into the Community Room either Monday or Tuesday.

That was a lie.

I'm feeling very annoyed and have no plans to check in with the seniors until the Halloween event.

I don't want to be cruel, hurt her feelings, but when I don't show up on Monday or Tuesday, do you think she'll finally get the message?