~I SAW WHAT YOU DID....

I thought I would share a short story with you.  I am still shaking my head over this one.

Some neighbors across the street and down one house have moved, and they have been coming back daily, painting, new floors, landscaping etc.  readying the home for sale.  It's been so hot and it has not been pleasant for them.

In the evening we sit out on the porch when it isn't too hot and enjoy just chatting.  Often the woman across the street and her ten year old little girl, join me.  

The man who owns the home in question and his son, had worked another full day and gone home.  

Suddenly the neighbor woman on the far side of the empty home came waddling over and appeared to be curious as what was happening to the house, which is what happens when a long time neighbor moves away.

As we watched (it's dark on our porch, very shady and we are not visible from the sidewalk, let alone from across the street) she crossed her yard into theirs and dug around in  a cardboard box sitting on the porch, pulling out plastic sheeting which she started to take to her yard but instead glanced around, stepped up onto their porch again and  walked off with a large shovel.  One of those scoop shovels which was leaning against the wall.  She examined it a moment, looked up and down the street again and proceeded to take it to her house and through the gate into her back yard!

We decided that perhaps I should call the people who own the home to let them know, just in case it was something that was important to them, and tell them where it was.  I felt funny doing it, like a nosy neighbor...but they had given me their number just in case.   I thought it might not be anything important OR they had given it to her OR she took it to save for them..or whatever.

When I called they said they had not given her their shovel..so today they asked her if she had it.  I rather thought she would tell them she was afraid someone would steal it, but no.  When asked about the shovel, she denied ever having seen it.  THREE of us saw her take it into her back yard.  She plain lied to the man's face.  He didn't argue with her or tell her who told him.  He just said he had perhaps been given false information.  

This woman that took the shovel and her family are not the most desirable neighbors...but they have not bothered me.  .

I guess the thing is, I just cannot believe a neighbor would take ..no, STEAL, from their next door neighbors they had known for  years...long before I ever came to live here.

I wanted to march  right up to her door

 and tell her we SAW her take the darned shovel!!!   

I wanted to go right then tell her that three of us saw her take that shovel..but the man said   "I just want to finish and leave.  Let her have it and I don't want to leave knowing you may have problems later because of it.  

I suppose he was right.  But still.  

If one will steal, one will do anything.

Perhaps he is right to let it go.  She must be very sad indeed to do such a thing.

What makes people do things like that!  I know it goes on..but to watch it happen right in your neighborhood is upsetting.  

Would you have confronted the woman?  I wanted to.  I still want to, but he may be right.
What would you do?

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This was longer than I wanted it to be..sorry. :)

Love,

Mona