67. The Neighbourhood

Photo by Charles Parker from Pexels


A man’s life ain’t worth a hill of beans except he lives up to his own conscience. I’ve got to give Josh that chance.

– Friendly Persuasion, 1956

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

– Matthew 5:43-44

I had roads to travel before I would know it’s not that simple, the dope versus the person you love.

– Barbara Kingsolver, Demon Copperhead, 2022


TIME AND PLACE

2024. New England.

CHARACTERS

AARON, new homeowner in the neighborhood.

AISHA, Aaron’s wife.

JOSHUA, Aaron’s and Aisha’s son (age 8).

ROB, a neighbor.

MARY, Rob’s wife.

JOSEPH, a neighbor.

AKIKO, Joseph’s wife.

MIA, Joseph’s and Akiko’s daughter (age 8).

WOLF WORTHINGTON, a friend of neighborhoods and democracy, from Michigan.

EMILY, Mary’s unmarried cousin and a recluse. Mid 20’s.

ALEXANDER (“Ali”), Aaron’s cousin and a recluse from another neighborhood. Mid 20’s.

SCENE 1

ROB, MARY, JOSEPH, AKIKO, and their daughter, MIA, are all standing at the front door of Aaron’s and Aisha’s home. ROB rings the doorbell.

All of them have their arms full of welcoming treats.

AARON opens the front door.

ROB

Welcome, neighbor. Welcome to the neighborhood.

AARON

Whoa!

AISHA and JOSHUA join AARON, to see who’s calling.

MARY

We’re here to introduce ourselves….. Hello!

AISHA

O! My God! How wonderful!

JOSEPH

We live three doors down. Hi. I’m Joe.
This is my wife Akiko.  [indicating]
And our girl, Mia.  [indicating]

MARY

And I’m Mary … down at the end of the street.
And my husband, Rob.  [indicating]

AISHA

Well, come in. Come in.
What a wonderful surprise!

ROB, MARY, JOSEPH, AKIKO, and MIA go through the door into Aaron’s and Aisha’s house.

There are unopened boxes all over, a couple of chairs, and one table.

AISHA

We never expected anything like this.
My name’s Aisha.
This is my husband, Aaron.
And our boy, Josh.
You can see we’re just at the beginning. Moving in.

AARON

Here. Let me help you.

AARON takes some of the gifts, and directs the group to put them down on the table and chairs in the living room.

AARON

The movers are coming tomorrow with the furniture.
Sorry. No place to sit right now.

ROB

No problem.
We’re happy to just stand.

AISHA

[to JOSHUA]  Josh, take their girl …

Nina, did you say?

AKIKO

Mia.

AISHA

[to JOSHUA]  Mia. Take Mia, and show her your room.

The two youngsters exit.

AARON looks at the pile of gifts.

AARON

I don’t know quite what to say…. This is all too much.

JOSEPH

The least we can do to welcome you all.
And make you feel at home here.
And whatever else you need, just ask.

AISHA

The Johnsons told us you’re extraordinary.
That this neighborhood is special.

AARON

But we didn’t expect this.

ROB

This is a very special neighborhood.
The Johnsons told you right.

AARON

They said, like you have weekly cookouts and things.

JOSEPH

Yep. Once a week.
More formal meetings once a month.

AARON

To do what? Exactly? May I ask?

ROB

Our neighborhood’s a democracy, and meeting together is a regular part of being that.

AARON

Our country’s a democracy.

ROB

Not like our neighborhood, sadly.

AARON

What do you mean?

ROB

Our country’s gotten a bit too big to fit the essential meaning of “democracy.”
But our neighborhood hasn’t.

AARON

Ut-oh.
How’s that?

ROB

“Democracy” can be when freedom of expression exists with everyone’s courtesy.
And when each competent adult has an oar in the water.

AARON

For example?

MARY

Take speeding, for instance.
We have so many youngsters in the neighborhood we felt …

JOSEPH

The mothers, especially felt …

MARY

That certain action must be taken if people seriously break our speed limits.

ROB

Which means a neighborhood fine. And not a cheap one, I might add.
Which did the trick.

AARON

Oh.
That’s a democracy?

AKIKO

Vulgar language and disrespect for others is another.

ROB

We didn’t all grow up learning the same rules of respect for one another.
But in this neighborhood we respect others as though they were our mothers, or our bosses at work. It takes a little work getting used to.

JOSEPH

Like, abuse is absolutely unacceptable.

MARY

Not nobody.
Not no how.
We don’t cotton to abuse of husbands, wives, children, or political opponents of any kind.

ROB

That’s not to say we’re softies. We’re not.
We know full well that democracy is worth fighting for.
And enduring for.
And having patience and tolerance of all sorts for.

AARON

You’re your own policemen?

JOSEPH

We obey the law. We obey good, clean common sense. And we like each other.

MARY

It works other ways, too.
We won’t sit around on our hands when anyone in the neighborhood loses a job, or has a serious injury, or somebody goes to the hospital.

ROB

Like my wife and her sisters take care of their cousin Emily….
Who lives in the neighborhood ….
Didn’t the Johnsons tell you?

AARON

What they said sounded like a neighborhood watch.
I guess I didn’t picture anything as organized as this.
It sounds sort of how I always thought the Amish live.

ROB

Like that.
But not so organized.
And definitely not religious.
Although I think our kids are just as happy.



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