For the record, I should state that we have been blessed with great neighbors on both sides of our home!The house below us has the most easy going people; NOTHING riles them (OUR kids throwing parties, THEIR kids throwing parties, noise at any hour, It's All Good!). They're tree-hugging-good-hearted-people and we've never had a problem with them.
The house above us has a very intense Mom (exact opposite scenario) but we've also never had any problems. They've been exceptionally tolerant of our pool noise and parties even though I know it was probably excruiciatingly painful for them to hear it non-stop during our kids teenage years. Our neighbors LOVED our dog, Kona, who was like their honorary family member. They've been wonderful neighbors and good friends to boot.
When I got a phone message that they'd been "assaulted" I was shocked! This IS NOT a high crime neighborhood! But then the message details went on to describe a classic case of getting TP'd. Yes, their home was Toilet Papered! This was particularly unsettling for this Mom who runs a tight ship and is diligent about rules and regulations! Her twins (just entering high school this year) have impeccable manners! The tee pee caper felt like a violation of the highest order! Frustrating my neighbor even more was her phone call to the local police who wouldn't take her seriously. So she spent the greater part of her day cleaning up toilet paper (46 rolls at last count)!
My initial reaction after listening to my neighbor's voicemail was thinking she seemed to come unglued over something relatively minor. But, here is the rub: After we finally talked together (versus trading messages) I learned that her younger sister had passed away a few days earlier (age 48, with kids still at home, completely unexpected). Suddenly it was obvious WHY she fell apart over the Toilet Paper mess. It really had more to do with grieving her sister's death than the alleged "assault." The teepeeing was kind of a "tipping point" event that put her over the edge!
How often I jump to conclusions about people or situations. And then I find out I only know part of the story. And the missing part is the link that makes it all makes sense! It's hard for me to suppress a little smile thinking about being "assaulted by toilet paper" but now when I think about the incident I'll remember how important the additional information was in understanding her severe reaction!
As a side illustration I once heard a story of a woman riding in a crowded elevator who has her foot stepped on by a man getting in and he offers no apology! The woman is incredulous about the clumsy, ill-mannered man until she looks down and realizes to her horror that his white cane (not his foot!) is what landed on her foot. The man is blind; which instantly changes her perspective completely!
Whether it is my neighbors or strangers in an elevator; I'm sure I'm better off withholding judgment and not jumping to conclusions based on the limited information I have of the whole situation!
