Bad Neighbors, Part 2

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"I don’t know who you are or what you’re up to, but I don’t like it!" the man had said as we met at the fence line, I on my side and he on his.

 

This was a new experience for me. Throughout my life I’d lived a "normal" lifestyle and had always fit into the society around me. But now, this guy’s attitude had made me feel that I had done something terribly wrong. He looked at me like I was crazy, or somehow a threat to his family. He was angry and agitated, but I didn’t get the sense that he intended physical harm. He just didn’t understand what I was doing there, living in a tent so close to his home and family.

 

I’m not a fighter, and it takes a lot to get me angry, so my immediate reaction was to stay calm and try to talk to this guy. "Hold on a minute." I said, trying my best to stay calm while speaking in a firm and confident voice. After all, the way that he had greeted me was very rude, and although I understood why he might be upset, it didn’t excuse his behaviour. "Let’s back up a bit", I said as I offered him my right hand. "My name is Dave".

 

He reached out and shook my hand with a deep frown still on his face. The handshake was almost instinctive on his part, which showed he was usually a polite man and that this encountered was probably as uncomfortable for him as it had been so far for me. "Alan", he said

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