Dear Mr. and Mrs. xxx,
I’ve always believed that live and let live; In every neighborhood that we’d ever lived, we’ve been blessed with lovely neighbors and people who have had mutual respect and consideration for each other.
Since your family has moved in, the boundaries of patience and tolerance have been stretched. What used to be a lovely neighborhood, has been marred by the speeding, killing of animals from speeding, ubiquitous trash—primarily beer cans, water bottles and fast food wrappers that are pitched out of car windows, and all of it comes to rest along xx, the trail of debris leading right back to your home.
We’ve found six packs of beer under bushes, beer bottles with vomit in them on the grassy expanse next to your house. We’ve witnessed loads of kids piling into your house with suitcases in hand, no doubt when you left town, landscapers who rudely blast music that’s so loud it could be heard all the way down to xx, and yet, I and others have remained mum. I personally have taken a walk with a trash bag in hand and have picked up the garbage from the mess your family makes because I hate looking at it when I walk. I doubt anyone has said a word about the startling lack of consideration that you’ve all shown, but after what happened today—it was time to speak up.
This morning while walking the dog, we found a kid passed out in his car, on the public street (xx). I banged on the window to awaken the still drunk young man who was sweating profusely in the hot car (and looked quite unwell), considering it was around eighty-two degrees at the time. The young man was practically incoherent, and he was unsure if that was due to alcohol or dehydration. Regardless, what a dangerous, reckless thing to allow—young kids who can get so inebriated while parents are around that their life is endangered. This was the final straw and prompted this letter.
When will enough be enough? When one of your kid kills someone from the reckless speeding? Or when some young person loses their life to alcohol poisoning because you’ve allowed them to consume alcohol or perhaps you’ve chosen to turn a blind eye to all the underage drinking? Perhaps it would help to remember that that young man is someone’s son, and I’m sure his mom was glad to have him home for Mother’s Day. Things might have ended up much differently had my husband and I not woken that boy up.
I don’t expect this will suddenly make you struck with consideration for others, but perhaps you can be mindful of the young people who visit your home. From raising two boys, I can assure you, I’ve yet to ever see anything good come from an alcohol-fueled home or an alcohol-fueled teenager, and I have plenty of experience to back up my statements.
I’m sure you will be ticked off about this letter, and please know this, I don’t care. I care far more about some young person who could’ve lost their life last night than I ever will care about hurting your feelings.
Lisa Boucher
This letter I wrote to a neighbor, and I’m sure it could be applicable to parents in communities all over the country. With high school and college graduation parties in full swing, it pays to be mindful. I wish everyone a safe and happy graduation season, and please remember, maybe it’s time to rethink all those drinks!