Ode To a Hermit...

Irony hit me like a Mack Truck this weekend... especially after writing the previous blog!

I have lived in my house since 2001. I have basically 3 neighbors: The two on both sides of my house, and the one directly behind my garage. I'm not very "social" with my neighbors... in fact, I rarely say anything to anyone around here.

This is NOT Mr. Robinson's neighborhood...

The house that is behind me has had 3 separate owners since I've lived here. The two on the sides have always had the same. In fact, there is only one neighbor that I have had conversations with, and that guy owes me $1,000 for his portion of the fence... which was built three years ago. Yeah, good luck getting him to pay!

On the other side, a couple resides there with their triplets and teenage daughter. I've never said anything to them, other than "Hey" or just a nice friendly wave.

On Saturday, I hobbled out to the mailbox to pickup my mail. It's a big deal, actually, because it's pretty much an effort any way you slice it.

As I was heading back, that couple pulled up and the kids unloaded. They had been to a soccer game. While everyone was heading into the house, the wife saw me and asked, "How are you doing?"

I said, "Oh, pretty good. I really did a number on my knee."

She replied, "Yeah, I heard. I'm so sorry to hear about that." I figured she must have run into my parents on one of their visits. She then said, "If you need anything, we're just right here. You can ask us for anything."

I said, "Oh, I appreciate that. Thanks." Right then, I decided to remove my "cloak of hermitude" and introduce myself. "I'm Regan, by the way."

She replied, "I know." She then paused and looked at me... and then said while pointing to herself, "It's Petra."

I stared at her for a second and then thought, "Why is Petra at my neighbor's house?" And then it hit me...

"Oh my gosh! Petra??? YOU live there?"

By then her husband was laughing in the background, and she was too. You see, I work with Petra! She is a manager in my office, is one of my User Liaisons between IT and the business, and serves on the same committee that I'm on!

I told her that I thought when she said she had heard, it was from my folks. She said it was at the office and that "Everyone knows."

While Prudential is a big company, our office is about 130+ people. What are the odds that two employees of the same company live next door to each other... especially given the population of the Metroplex!

She found out last December when she received my mail, but her husband delivered it to me. When he arrived, I was on the phone so we never discussed the connection. She then told me that she thought I always knew it was her - "You're always waving to us!"

I think we both walked away a little bit shocked at how small of a world it really is... and maybe I'll be a better neighbor for it all.

It truly blew me away...