Neighbors Afloat

Daily writing prompt

What makes a good neighbor?

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A good neighbor? Most of us rush to assume that it’s about the people across the street or adjacent to our house. But at a mooring, it might be folks who don’t party too loudly after ten and keep a careful watch on their cable.
Likewise, in a boatyard, a good neighbor doesn’t steal your extension cord, ladder, or hose. And no, these are not specious examples. You never watched my former father-in-law, the Cap’n, light into some poor motorboat owner who “borrowed” from him. His 34-foot Ketch was the center of his existence, and anything that delayed his first sailing date merited a severe dressing down. Years serving on board merchant vessels had honed his ability to strip the skin off your back in ten words or less.
My father and uncle served on vessels where sailors still hung hammocks to sleep in. A good neighbor did not snore excessively, came and went quietly, and kept his goods stowed away neatly. Malingerers, slobs, and the poorly behaved might have the lines on their hammock cut.

You are fortunate to find the entire parcel in one individual – honest, helpful, courteous, and mindful of a neighbor’s privacy. If you do, you invite them aboard for the launching day celebration, pick up supplies, and treat them like royalty.

While a good neighbor at the shore and at sea differs a bit from the person living next door, the general principle of respect for the other person remains at the core. That’s a good neighbor. Add to that generosity of spirit, and you have a great neighbor.