A teddy too far

Image courtesy of thefutureimperfect.com

It all started with an old tin. An M & S biscuit tin in the shape of a lorry to be exact, left in my porch overnight. I was quite pleased with this present actually, these tins can come in handy for tidying away bundles of toy cars that keep jabbing you in the feet. They consequently also act as a great preventative to a swear box (or tin).

But then it was an old Tomy walker casually lent against our inside wall. My youngest is 3, and I’m not yet in need of a makeshift zimmer (they didn’t see me careering down the road the other night after a bit of a boozy do did they?)

Anyway, yesterday it took an eerie turn. My husband came in with a worried look on his face,  holding a partly decomposed, very dirty, and seriously unloveable teddy. Circa 1962. “This is getting a bit weird now” he said.

So I asked around, and noone knows anything. Even my older neighbours that can’t see/hear/smell much anymore and so could’ve been forgiven for mistakes on quality (especially if they’re a bit partial to a squeeze or two of Febreeze rather than a bath).

So what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever found in your porch?( (elaborations on the word “porch” totally welcome).

Love thy neighbour

I live next door to a German (ex) prisoner of war. His wife died 9 years ago, and he has noone.

No family. No friends.

It’s true he’s pretty much alienated everyone in the street over the years. He doesn’t have boundaries. Is selfish and often doesn’t think.

But he has noone.

He comes by 5/6/7 times a day. I never ask him in.

He comes to drop off the Daily Express.

I don’t have the heart to tell him i’d rather pull my own teeth out then read the Daily Express. But he needs an excuse. For human contact.

And i wouldn’t begrudge him that. However inconvenient or annoying it is.

And it usually is. Very.

But he has noone.

You see, at the end, my dad was isolated.

He could be selfish, arrogant. So he lost friends. And when he was old. Deaf. Blind. He found himself very alone. So i did everything i could. I saw the hurt, the regret, and i tried to make it better.

I don’t do much. Shopping. Phonecalls. Drinks at Christmas and birthdays.

Because he has noone.

The other neighbours won’t speak to him. Incase he asks too much.

And all i can think is, his life is much harder than yours. You heartless bastards.