The Rose neighbour hood

It was 7:35 am a moving truck rolled into the drive next door.

The phone lines must have been sizzling with the amount of calls the neighbourhood was making we got a total of :180 call ourselves from some of the local gossipers.

I love my neighbour hood I really do but 180 phone calls in half an hour is a bit excessive, I already dread going to walk my dog (Rory) at lunch time the news will have spread around like wild fire by then and loads of rumours about the people will accompany that roaring blaze, but for now sleep would be good.

I didn’t fall back asleep, so I went to make myself a cup of hot chocolate down stairs, Rory started barking at me as I walked down the creaky stairs, her fluffy tail was going a million miles an hour, I started the kettle. Side note Rory hates the noise of kettles and she barks like crazy. In that sleep deprived moments I completely forgot, that was a huge mistake, the barking started it was so high-pitched I thought my ears were going to explode, I ran over to the treat box and grabbed the first one I could find and tossed it next to Rory, she stopped barking to tear the treat apart, she often remind me of a lion catching its pray in the jungles warm humid air. I peered through my blinds checking I had not disturbed anyone in the near by houses, big mistake, I forgot the newcomer had just moved in meaning Mrs Murphy would be milling near by, she caught my eye.

Now she was at my door adjusting her yellow skirt, I groaned , I mean Mrs murphy was a lovely lady she practically raised me after I moved here, but she was a total gossip I felt like I was at high school again everyone talking behind everyone’s else’s back, but that’s how it was here. She knocked on the door… multiple times.

“come on Mags, I know your in there daring!” she said

Ok you probably think I should not have gotten involved with her, but I am weak

An hours later I was filled in on every rumour every child’s name and every profession they ever had.

“how do you know all this already?” I asked sipping on my hot chocolate

“its my job to keep everyone safe here” she said winking at me

We chatted for a while she filled me in on more details: the family was called the Jacobs they had moved here from America, the mum(Evie) was the CEO of a growing business and had moved here to be closer to her headquarters with her husband (Callum) who was a stay at home dad, they had two daughters Iris (15) and Matilda (11) who were going to attend a private school just down the road. I knew all this about these people and I, as well as most the neighbour hood had know idea what they looked like.

“well I better get going Mags “she said checking her watch

She was halfway to the door

“oh, and we have a towns meeting at lunch.” She added turning around

“I would love to go…” I started

“you can walk Rory there “said Mrs Murphy smiling

“its not that I have a doctor’s appointment” I started again

“you’re not ill mags and the doctors is closed anyway” she insisted

“But…” I tried again

“no Buts, you are going to be there Magnolia Willard” she said grinning knowing full well I would have to be at that towns meeting, and she left. Well I say towns meeting it was more of an interview for the newcomers, to basically determine if they will in clued then in all the neighbour hoods shenanigans, it would be pretty entertaining.

12:45 time to go walk Rory.

I was on constant calls from the moment Mrs Murphy left so when my final call finished I grabbed Rory’s lead and we both ran out of the door into the fresh air, I breathed in a huge sigh of relive and walked one of my favrioute trails that was surrounded by fields full of wild flowers and low hangering branches. It was the calm before the storm. The trail ended up next to the town’s hall, I already heard the sound of excited voices coming from inside, I picked Rory up and walked into the grand entrance. About the whole neighbour hood was sitting there gleefully. I took a seat next to Kai, who like me hated these town meeting, but also like me, Mrs Murphy was a weak point so we both ended at these meetings.

1:25 The Jacobs were late

Being late to a towns meeting is also frowned upon so everyone grew restless, but as soon as the Jacobs enter the room, everyone turned their head, I mean they looked nice, so I lost interest. The next two hours were filled with people grilling the Jacobs and gawking at them like animals in a zoo, so many questions were asked but coved up as an oh just wondering? Or some fake compliments to add insult to injury, the meeting lasted hours, I felt like melting in my seat, but I had to admit the neighbour hood watch would be very good at questioning  people for the police, I might suggest that to them later I started to laugh at the thought of it.

8:30 goodbye to the Jacobs

Apparently, the Jacobs were so overwhelmed by the questions and the mean looks they were getting on the streets because apparently, they were rude and disrespectful people. They had decided to leave after one day this might have been a new record. Mrs Murphy had planned a street, party for the next day. You may think this is weird and it is, but this is my weird neighbourhood.

1:30

The moving tuck backed out the dive way never to be seen again… until the next person who dares to take on the rose neighbour hood.