An Interesting Situation

9 Jamal 164 B.E. – Sunday, May 6, 2007

Today I realized an interesting situation that occurs periodically in my back yard. The neighbor’s kids somehow get into the yard to retrieved balls and other toys they accidentally throw over the fence. Mom and I were sitting in the dining room watching a Fred Asteria (I hope that’s how you spell the name) movie on Channel 10. I glanced out the patio door and there walking across my backyard was a boy about 10 years old or younger. He retrieved a ball, tossed it into the back fence neighbor’s yard, and then disappeared out of sight. About five or ten minutes later he was back with a younger brother. The retrieved to toys, finally got them into their yard and then left my yard. I know they got into my yard through a loose board in the fence, but I don’t know which board is loose.

I’m going to have to do something about it, I don’t mind the neighbors kids retrieving their toys that land inadvertently in my yard, but I’d at least like them to be polite enough to knock on my door and ask. I’m going to have someone clean the back yard the first Saturday in June, so when Larry come I’ll have him check the fence boards and see if there is a way to secure any that are loose. In the mean time, I’m just going to have to keep an eye out to see how often these kids get into the yard. I don’t know how long they’ve been doing this, from the way they acted it’s a common occurrence.

I wouldn’t have know there was a problem if Mom hadn’t got out of the hospital recently. She needs a hospital bed right now, so I had them put the bed in the dining room rather than in her regular bedroom. I moved the TV into the dinning room, so she could have some entertainment.

I wonder how ‘Abdu’l-Baha would handle this situation? I’ll have to meditate on that and see what I come up with. I don’t want to come off as a witch spelled with a b in this, I just want the kids to ask permission before coming into my yard. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, it only shows respect for your neighbors. I suppose this could be a good opportunity to meet the back fence neighbors, I’ll have to determine when their home and what house they live in and maybe go see them. When I can get away; right now Mom can’t be left alone, so I’m sort of stuck in the house if I can’t find someone to sit with her.

I’ll keep an eye on the situation. Until school lets out for the summer (or does the grade school in this neighborhood year round) it’s not going to be a big problem except maybe on Saturday or Sunday. I know there must be an opportunity of some type here. Maybe to tell those neighbors about Baha’u’llah, this is a good way to get to meet them. With kids of that age, it’s best to approach the parents with any problems and concerns. As soon as possible, I’ll have to get to the next street and figure out which house it is and meet the parents.