Page 26 of The Neighbor

“It is,” she says with utter disgust. “Why does the news have to talk about people dying all the time? You’d swear there’s nothing good to talk about at all.”

I shrug, even as I’m intrigued about how bothered she is about all the death on the news every night. “You know what they say. If it bleeds, it leads.”

“You sound like you approve of that. I’m guessing since you’re a man that you don’t have a problem with all the violence, death, and destruction in society today.”

The tone of indictment comes through loud and clear, and I know I have to pretend like all of that bothers me, so I touch her arm in sympathy and shake my head. “No, and I bet most men you’d find don’t like it either.” Hoping to lighten the mood, I jokingly add, “Well, maybe not Harold, but he’s a fish killer, so you know how they are.”

That does the trick, and for the first time since we sat down, Caroline chuckles. “You know, you’re sort of funny. I guess I was getting too serious there for a minute. Sorry about that. I get tilting at windmills, and the next thing I know I’m up on a soapbox.”

As she apologizes, I watch her carefully to see if she truly means it. I think she does. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was interested in me.

Not that her wanting to get to know me better would be a bad thing. Absolutely not since I want the same thing from her. I just have no interest in anything romantic.

My desires turn another way.

“It’s okay. Just shows you have a passion for something. I’m afraid you might be trying to hold back the ocean with a broom, though, when it comes to violence in this country. I’m pretty sure it’s in our DNA.”

Her smile slowly disappears as I talk, probably because she knows I’m right. If she had any idea about the person she’s talking to, she’d understand just how true all I said is.

“Well, that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. If a person can grow and change, then why can’t a country of people do the same?”

Caroline truly is an idealist. I always laugh at people like her who insist on believing there’s good in all people. They seem so deluded, like they haven’t watched enough of the ugliness of humanity to be convinced that human beings are by their nature violent creatures. To expect them to be anything else always seems foolish.

But as I listen to her and know what she’s thinking is pure naiveté, I can’t help but find her charming in a way I’ve never experienced before. She may be wrong in more ways than she can imagine, but I like how her hopefulness makes me feel.

“I guess it’s possible,” I say, not believing that but some small part of me wishes it could be. “Have you always been this positive about human nature?”

She smiles, and it lights up her entire face. “I think so. My parents were really positive people, so I guess I come by it naturally. Not everyone is base and animalistic.”

Since Caroline seems to be in the mood to talk about herself and I want to encourage that, I ask her another question. “What about your brothers and sisters? I’m having a hard time believing your entire family was full of positive people. Wasn’t there one grouch in the bunch?”

Her smile gets broader, but I swear I see sadness flash in her eyes for a brief moment before it disappears as she shakes her head. “Nope. All happy people. I only have one brother, but he’s like me. Always tilting at windmills thinking we can make the world a better place.”

So she has a brother, but I get the sense by the way she used the past tense when she referred to her parents that they’re dead. I file those details away in the back of my mind and lean back on the wicker chair as I look out onto the street.

“I think I may have moved into the most positive neighborhood in the world then. Kimmy’s definitely someone who looks at the world with a sunny disposition, and Marilyn is just like her too. I don’t know about their husbands, but I wouldn’t say either man is entirely negative. Then again, I don’t know what we’d call Jared and Suzanne after the other night.”

Caroline nods slowly as a look of sadness comes over her. “I guess we’d call them divorced. She’s going to take him to the cleaners.”

I can’t help but find it interesting how differently she’s looking at the unhappy couple’s situation today compared to how she talked about it the night of the party. Then, she was all in favor of Suzanne gutting her cheating husband and laying him out in the middle of the street for all to see. Today, though, I get the feeling she’s not as militant in her support of Suzanne.

“He has it coming, don’t you think?”

Nodding, she draws her eyebrows in. “Yeah, he does. I don’t know what he was thinking bringing that woman to the party. Suzanne lives here. Did he actually think none of us were going to say something to her? I may not know her well, but Kimmy and Marilyn do, and they would tell her. He’s just a fool. He deserves what he gets.”

“That’s doesn’t sound so positive anymore.”

Caroline rolls her eyes. “I believe people can be good and if they aren’t then they can change. Jared hasn’t shown anyone he’s interested in being good or changing to save his marriage.”

So much for tilting at windmills.

She leans over toward me and whispers, “He left last night with two suitcases, so I think it’s over.”

As interesting as gossiping about my cheating neighbor is, I want to get Caroline to tell me more about herself, so I remain silent for a few moments as the two of us stare out at the road. The heat of the day comes off the asphalt in waves, making mefeel even hotter than before. I wish she’d offer me a drink or invite me inside where it’s cool.

“Was it as hot as this where you used to live?” I ask awkwardly, instantly wishing I had thought of something smoother.

“Yes. I know everyone already knows I’m from Maryland, so yes, it got this hot. I want to say it wasn’t this humid, though. Something about this area seems to trap all the humidity here.”

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