The Friends Across The Road

I'm still getting used to the idea of Beth playing outside our fence-less, gate-less house with the neighbour's kids.

I watched her run outside to join D (5) and C (7) as they cycled furiously up and down the street. Later on, the girls came by to say hello. D is chatty, her sister more cautious. Both are at The Grange Secondary College, D in Prep and C in Year 2.

D is the sort you can talk about anything with.

Like monsters.

"I sleep on my own cos I kick people," she confided shyly. She told me she and C each have their own room.

"Really? Bethany won't sleep on her own. She says she's afraid of monsters."

"But there are no such things as monsters," retorted D with the wisdom of a 5 y.o.

Pause.

"Monsters are only found in America."

"Perhaps you should tell Bethany that, then maybe she'll sleep in her own room," I suggested.

Fast forward.

The girls and I watched as an Indian salesman from the Origin company (gas and electricity provider) made his rounds.

"My mummy doesn't want him coming into our house, so if he comes, we're to say she's at work, but actually she's at home," said D. "So if he asks you about us, don't tell him my mummy's in okay?"

"It's a secret," I assured her.

Later, an elderly gentleman walked past in the direction of the furthest house. He came back pretty quickly with what looked like a rolled-up newspaper tucked under one arm.

"That man steals people's mail," whispered C.

"Really?" I replied, astonished, and stared at the gentleman as he walked past.

"He goes to people's houses and takes their mail out of their boxes," C elaborated.

We all stared at the mail thief.

To my puzzlement, Beth got to her feet and started trotting parallel to the gentleman as he went by. He smiled at her...then turned into the house on our right.

"Do you know him?" I asked Beth.

"Ya, he's our neighbour...David," Beth explained.

David and Lynn. Our next door neighbours. Hubby and Beth had met them previously, but I hadn't had a chance to make their acquaintance.

Told hubby about it later and he almost fell over laughing. He explained that in our neighbourhood, the practice was for residents to help clear each other's mail boxes if someone was away.

That will teach me to take children at their word.