I have been very lucky in this life when it comes to friends and neighbors that became friends. Having lived in 2-flats and duplex style up and down apartments, you have no privacy very close interactions with the people living in such proximity to you and your family.
Thirteen years ago, on Thanksgiving Day, The Weasel family -at the time consisting of the Mr. and I, a 2 1/2 yr. old and a 6 week old- moved into the 2nd floor of one such 2-flat. The people downstairs weren't home at the time. They had better things to do than lug boxes and furniture on Thanksgiving Day. We on the other hand pre-ordered some Boston Market with friends who were willing to help us move. See what I mean about being lucky in friendship? What kind of fool gives up their entire Thanksgiving Day to help you move?
All we had been told, via the landlord, about the people who lived downstairs is that they were nice and had an 8 year old. We met them over the next few days and they were nice and friendly and welcoming. We had to walk up the back stairs and past their kitchen door, that was often open, every time we were coming or going and always would smile and exchange nicities.
I tried to keep the Eldest (2) from running inside and making the light fixtures downstairs shake. They tried to keep their television volume low when the Weasels were sleeping. Sound traveled incredibly well through this old house. We were slowly getting to know the people downstairs and adjust to finding a balance to make this new cohabitation pleasant. Not an easy job being upstairs with a road runner high energy toddler and an infant that would not sleep unless being held and walked all night long. Mr. Weasel and I would take turns overnight trying to walk him quietly in 2 hour shifts while the other would crash on the couch. Not fun.
About a month or so after moving in, Mr. Weasel had to go out of town on business. I had my regular check up scheduled with the girly doctor. This was the visit that the doctor laughed at me with visions of the Island vacation I would be paying for dancing in his head and informed me that I was yet again pregnant. I was shocked! I had wanted more children, but I had a new baby at home. I went home in disbelief and fear. I wasn't ready to bring home a third. I was still trying to get adjusted to the 2nd.
As I walked up the back stairs to our apartment, K's door was open. We still didn't know each other extremely well, but she saw the look on my face and asked if everything was okay. I blurted out "I'm pregnant" and K starting laughing so hard she was bent over holding herself. There was nothing funny about this news to me and Mr. Weasel wasn't even home for me to talk to.
K apologized for laughing, but didn't stop, as she explained that every night her family could hear Mr. Weasel snoring in the living room and had been wondering what the deal between he and I was. K conitnued, "now we know that you must be in the living room too!"
That was the start of a beautiful friendship that continues all these years later and states away. I was overjoyed to have spent last week with K and her family on the lake.
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19 comments:
Too funny! My husband snores on the couch a lot too, but that hasn't stopped us from making a couple babies.
So, after her casts were removed and all of the stitches were taken out, you forgave her and became the best of friends? That's nice. You did beat her senseless first, didn't you?
Ok, so you use the living room and we use the kitchen table...it's all good.
And yes, we do wash the table before we eat on it ;)
@ Momo ~ Yeah, you can't let little things like time and space get in the way.
@ NukeDad ~ It was no funny that no beating was ever given. That and I was in complete shock.
@ Melissa ~ Your new slogan "Melissa, it's what's for dinner!"
Great story! Some of the best friendships were founded on one person laughing at another's misfortune.
Hehe, so everyone but Mr. Weasel knew! Too funny, glad their assumption was wrong and that you and the Mr were not having marital issues. And tsk tsk to Tom for implying Middle Weasel is a misfortune, she is a lovely young lady, I got your back MW! ;)
That is why I always try to be so private because someone is always listening. Glad you got to spend some time with your friend.
Lovely to meet another weasel. I am a weasel blogger too. We weasels got to stick together!;-)
http://labeletterouge.blogspot.com/2008/04/redefining-weasel.html
Ah - couches, snoring, husbands the classic trifecta.
You do have such an interesting way of making friends though :)
Tom ~ Absolutely. I was in a predicament K found humor. It's a friendship made of diamonds.
@ Micro ~ The entire situation was a perfect recipe for misinterpretation and that's when the best comedic moments happen.
I don't think Tom meant that Middle weasel was my misfortune, but that I was in a predicament and shock when she pounced on laughter.
@ Otter ~ Ah the things we try to keep private that escape in close quarters. K and I did have a wonderful week.
@ Belette ~ I will have to check that out.
@ de-I ~ I know you would expect no less of me.
Ha ha ha. Isn't it great to have friends like that?
K sounds great. A true friend is never afraid to laugh at you.
Paper thin walls can make or break a friendship. Obviously this was one meant to last...
I've lived in apartments before. You hear Everything!
You do learn and adjust to people and thats the base of a good friendship!
Nothing like bonding over laughter! And of course, eventually Boy weasel learned to sleep and you had so much experience you were able to help me with my boy - it's all good!
@ Heather ~ Oh yes, those are the best kinds of friends.
@ Terri ~ That's when I knew she was a keeper.
@ Mike & Oscar ~ It breeds either closeness or resentment. This one was wonderful.
@ Seashore ~ And that only brought me more joy and friendship under perfect living conditions.
Me, I like the bathroom counter with the mirror... Where was I? Oh, yes. This is a really cute story. Nothing like becoming intimate friends from the start! :)
Now THAT is classic. I would have been dying laughing too, had I been K. Of course, had I been you, I immediately would have been wondering if they could hear the snoring what ELSE could they hear. And that third child would have been the last ;)
Haha, I was just teasing Tom, the story is hysterical and his comment made me laugh.
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