OWLG – #387 – The New Neighborhood

They’d been told that in the 1930s, there were so many different ethnic groups in this section of town that they ran out of weekends for festivals. No one wanted to step on a neighbor’s toes, have a competing saints festival on the next block, and lure people away. Now, though, it was mostly yuppie puppies gutting, renovating, and driving the home prices up.
Dori and Kent were typical of the”new” neighborhood. They moved here because it had a reputation as an established community with an “old world” flavor to it. There were bakeries for four nationalities, small restaurants, and fantastic small grocery stores. Mostly, they did their shopping at the Massive Mart on the other side of town. It was more convenient – everything was there in one location – no walking around. They knew they should patronize the local shops, but it was like breaking the bonds of inertia to break their lifelong habits of shopping.

The one thing they found annoying about the new neighborhood was the little old men gathering on the steps, ” Where ya been, Nick!” ” What’s going on with Aunt Lucille?” at midnight. The neighbors were into each other’s business all the time. It was almost as if they were family.

They were lonely there; no one they knew, and all those kids were playing on the street at all hours. But all their friends envied them for living in such a wonderful neighborhood.