A
short time ago, I wrote an essay about a man in a nearby neighborhood
that had become somewhat well-known in the community for peeing
in the bushes along the front of his house. And a few readers
stunned me.
For
those that may be seeing this for the first time, several months
ago, Terry and I were discussing someone that lives not all that
far away from our house. Few turns this way, few streets that
way, and there he is. The discussion centered around the idea
of us having driven by his house one day and seeing him standing
facing the bushes. It sure looked like he was peeing.
Friends
we mentioned it to quickly knew exactly the house we meant. They
knew it because the road happened to be something of a common
connecting road to a bit of everything, and frequently travelled.
You might have guessed, the friends had been treated to a similar
sight, and knew of several others that had seen it happen.
This
man was well-known for peeing in his yard.
Reaction
from readers was quick. Reaction was strong. Reaction was… well…
I’m wondering. Because the reaction was unanimously against the
neighbor. Thoughts ranged from ideas of bringing it inside to
making a phone call to the police. Up and down and sideways the
reactions swept across just about every way of determining it
was inexcusable.
I
should point out that I agree with the masses on a simple fact:
He had a choice. I do believe this guy just decided he couldn’t
be bothered by heading inside (or at least into the woods behind
his house), wandered a few feet from his front door, turned to
face a bush and there it was. I also agree that he’s done this
repeatedly.
But
I’m wondering about the responses. Because none of them allow
in even the slightest that there could be something else involved
here. Consider:
*
Did he have a well? Was the power out? Because if you have a
well and the power is out, you’ve got a limited number of flushes
available until the power comes back on and the well pump can
operate.
*
Was he locked out of the house? Different scenario, but same
concept of an unavailable bathroom. Maybe he was locked out
of his house, didn’t want to break a window just so he could
pee, and there you go.
Ok,
sure, both of these examples have a few weaknesses. Once again,
he could have wandered off to a more concealed section of his
property. And a power outage doesn’t seem to explain the repeated
viewings of his activities. But at least they offer a thought
of an alternative.
Then
there’s this:
*
Bears. Mountain lions. Or maybe… ok… fine, maybe not bears.
But I’ve seen everything from skunks and racoons and woodchucks
to deer and turkeys and geese parading in and out and all around
my yard. Seem them in the fields nearby. Maybe he was having
some troubles with wildlife around his yard and heard that the
scent of his pee can act as a repellant.
The
idea from these three thoughts is simple enough: it’s possible—not
necessarily likely, but at least possible—that reasons beyond
a lack of self-respect and laziness were involved in the decisions
to pee in his yard. And, yes, pee in his yard repeatedly and in
a variety of places out front.
I’m
not defending any of them as valid reasons. I’m just saying that
many of us have things we’ve done that others may not appreciate
as common, normal or even acceptable, though we think nothing
of them and carry on.
Do
they make us the crazy neighbor? Maybe. Maybe they do. But before
you reach that result as the reality, you might want to at least
consider the latest coyote sightings in your neighborhood.