UPDATE ON NEIGHBOR

As I was unloading my van, I saw my neighbor, the "neat freak," sweeping the sidewalk around our apartment building again.  As he looked at me, I jokingly said, "You can sweep up here next."  He laughed, and before I could put my groceries away, he was sweeping my upstairs around my apartment.  I went out and told him I was only joking.  Just for conversation, I showed him the spiderwebs I always have to sweep on the siding, so he did that too.  I told him again I was only kidding and he didn't have to do it.

He said he doesn't have anything to do and is really bored...everyday.  He said he does picture puzzles.  Poor guy.  He also told me last week that he underwent open heart surgery where they took his heart out for two  hours and put in a new valve about two and a half months ago. 

He is hard of hearing, because I could hear a loud clattering phone any time he gets a phone call.  I also heard him outside on the phone telling someone he does nothing all day and wakes up the next day to do it all over again.  Poor fellow.

I've been tempted to tell him he needs a hobby besides his gardening on his patio and picture puzzles, like getting a computer or photography, but he's quite old and would not understand how to use either.  I have even thought of offering to get him started by teaching him, but I've held back, not wanting to get too close to neighbors' lives. 

He doesn't drive and depends on his ex-wife in the next building to take him places and for company.  They walk around here hand and hand, like lovers, but I believe she'd rather stay away from him as much as possible.

Yesterday he got new rugs and linoleum installed in his apartment.  I don't know how he managed to do that since this apartment won't hardly do anything that is cosmetic.  I asked for those little white coverings for your toilet that hides the bolts down to the commode, since I have a missing one.  The maintenance man said, "As long as the toilet is working, it's OK."  I also have a missing bulb protector in the ceiling where I can see the bulb in plain site and he said, "There are none; it was always like that."

If I ever get to that point in life, I keep saying, "God, take me."