Neighbors

We have lived in Barclay Square Apartments for over six years.  Over those six years, we have had four downstairs neighbors.  We really did not get to know the first tenant, a young woman who moved out soon after we moved in.  Alonso, one of the maintenance men, has asked what Maria (me) is doing to chase out neighbors one after the other.  

The second family moved here from New York City and had a lively two year old that we enjoyed.  They were originally from Sri Lanka and her parents spent time here and then were stranded due to unrest there.  They brought another culture into our lives. There was one time when the father who worked in IT for Stitch Fix helped us out when we were having difficulties accessing Peacock for a ND game.  The mother told Eboni, the leasing agent, that among her regrets in leaving Barclay Square was leaving Jim and Mary.  

They moved into a larger apartment here in our complex and had another child so we still saw them in the neighborhood until they bought a house and moved away.

The next couple were partners and when they told us they were engaged and going to get married, I was happy for them but aware that this probably meant they would also find a larger apartment.  And so they did.  But we were invited to their wedding and have met them several times for happy hour.

And next, there was another young couple with a two year old that we enjoyed.  We got to know them too over a happy hour at our apartment and then they hosted us for a cookout before they bought a house and moved out.  Their background was Chinese and Korean and they told us of their meet up thanks to a dating app and it was a good story! We asked them to take the CSA produce that was too much for us and they were happy to take it off our hands and not get thrown away. Their Chinese mother who lived in a nearby town insisted on feeding us a couple of times with some very spicy and tasty chicken legs.  

We hear activity downstairs as maintenance is preparing for another tenant. But the place has been empty for a couple of weeks.  There are so many new apartment complexes in Princeton that the supply must outpace the demand.  One result is that our rent went up only $5 a month this year

I have some worries about new neighbors.  Will they be noisy?  Will our noise bother them?  But I find myself anticipating making new friends. And I hope that will be true!