To the Best of Our Knowledge: My Neighbor

In this hour, maybe Mr. Rogers was right and every neighbor is a potential friend – someone worth inviting over, getting to know. On the other hand, maybe the weird guy next door will turn out to be Jeffrey Dahmer.

Next, our intern, Nayantara Mukherji, grew up in Bombay India, and all summer long, she’s been telling us stories about the unusual interactions she’s had with her neighbors there. Like this one – the case of the disappearing cat.

Then, a neighbor is a person who lives near you, right – maybe in the apartment or the house next door or down the block. But what about someone who doesn’t have a place to live? Like the homeless guy who sleeps in a doorway down the street. Is he your neighbor too?

After that, a few weeks ago, we asked you to send us your stories of unforgettable neighbors. Here’s one from Wisconsin listener Donna Jaehrling.

Following that, sometimes a new neighbor can be like a surprise package from Fate. A gift you didn’t ask for, weren’t expecting, and might even prefer to return – unopened. But that would be a mistake – because sometimes, the eccentric, odd, even challenging neighbor turns out to be one of the best things that ever happened to you.

Finally, this is a poem by Susan Avishai about a single elderly woman who lived next door for more than 25 years.She wrote it just a few months before her neighbor passed away. [Broadcast Date: July 18, 2012]

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