As of today, our windows are still intact along with our lives and the rest of the house. Much has happened over the months since that night with Y on the front porch. Y and B’s house went up for sale shortly after all of this. It is still for sale, much to B’s frustration but not to Y’s. Y loves living in the area and their girls have a well-established social life here now.

Often when The Girl was out walking, B just happened to be either driving by in her car or sitting in wait. B would then resort to either flooring the accelerator past The Girl, or following her slowly a short distance behind — all intimidation tactics. We debated reporting her activity to the police, but didn’t know if B’s behavior was illegal. We decided to play things by ear a little longer. Most of Y and B’s neighbours have commented at one time or another about her strange behavior with her driving her car up and down the street pointlessly. They also wonder why she stops at the top of our street for a minute or two at a time and just looks to the end of it — looks to our house. Through our windows we would often see her zipping around in front of our house checking our property out.

Y still attempted to make covert contact with us on occasion, especially while he was walking their dog. The second last contact he made with us was on a weekend during the mid-afternoon. He came over to say hi, see how everything was, and I think to make sure that B hadn’t caused any physical trouble to us. He said that he found no help through his church…Big surprise.

While I was talking to Y at the top of my driveway, we first heard, then saw B’s red car rocketing down the street towards us. She stopped at the bottom of the driveway. One of their girls was in the passenger seat. B got out and started screaming at Y. I couldn’t understand most of what she was yelling, but I did hear her ask what the hell he had told me. He said he’d better go and sheepishly walked off as she blasted her car off towards their home.

The last time that I spoke to Y was about a month after the driveway encounter. I was out for a walk with Ameloblast and decided to take a route past Y’s house for a change of scenery since The Girl avoided going there on her walks. It was late evening, so fairly dark. We passed Y’s house uneventfully. But on the way back, Ameloblast became interested in something that he saw in front of their property. I strained my eyes to see what he was seeing as we approached. I saw nothing unusual until we were in front of the house. That was when Y came out of the bushes and said hi.

I stopped and a brief conversation ensued. He asked how we were then proceed to tell me that that day when I had last seen him B took their dog, put him in her car and said that she was going to get rid of him. I couldn’t understand if she did take him somewhere and Y then got him back or if Y managed to get him out of the car before anything happened. But I think that pissed Y off so much that something happened between Y and B. Physical or not, I don’t know.

B ended up calling the cops. She reported an assault. The cops arrived, handcuffed Y and were about to take him away when the girls told them that the whole thing was B’s fault, that Y had done nothing. Y was released on the spot, but subsequently B told the cops the whole story of how Y had been cheating with The Girl and that this has created a huge problem between B and Y.

As Y was finishing up the story, their house’s outside lights flicked on and a door opened. Y nervously looked behind him and retreated. I took off also.

And so the cat and mouse game between my wife and B continued for months until one day while out for a walk again, The Girl waved at a car as it passed her. She realized a little too late that she had just waved at B driving Y’s car. The car screeched to a halt in front of The Girl.

B flung open her door, got out and started yelling and screaming. Through the obscenities she basically told The Girl to never wave at her again. Then she peeled rubber up the street, car and one daughter in the passenger seat.

This time we became fearful that things were escalating to a violent conclusion. The Girl called the cops.

She was transferred a couple of times until a female officer ended up coming on the phone.

“How can I help you?”

“I wanted to report an incident with a neighbour. I don’t know if it’s something that I should report, but I’m worried.”

“What happened?”

So The Girl gave the details about the last encounter.

There was a pause on the other end, “What did you say your address is again?”

The Girl told her.

“What did you say your name was?”

“The Girl,” The Girl said.

A longer pause this time, “So…you’re the other woman!”

Apparently this was the same officer, or one of them, that had arrived to arrest Y. She knew the entire story from B’s perspective. Now she wanted to hear our side.

After The Girl finished relaying the story, the officer said, “her behaviour is bordering on harassment. I’ll contact her today and tell her to behave. It would be a good idea for you to not go near her place and to avoid any contact with her or her family.” Then she added, “For your sake, I hope they sell their house soon. I will file this report. If you feel threatened in any way from her, call 911, say who you are and where you live. This report will come up.”

Since then, B has kept her distance but still drives up and down the street whenever she sees us out walking. I’m convinced that she still thinks that something is going on with Y and The Girl. Since then we’ve seen cops at their house again, along with canine control (again).

Just when we thought we were settling nicely into a state of watchful comfort the photo above happened.

The scene is the car pool parking lot about 20 minutes from where we live and about 20 minutes from where I work. The day was last Thursday.

Our plan that day was for me to meet my wife at the parking lot after work. She had some massage clients booked and would meet me there after she was done. From there we would take a single car to the dance studio.

I took the photo and I’m standing with my back to The Girl’s car. My car is off stage to the left. The car driving away from me is B’s. Her hair is so bleached blond that the light of the flash from the camera bounced off her head and lit up the entire driver side of the car.

B followed my wife from our street and along a 20 minute route just to see where she was going. My guess is that Y must have left their house shortly before The Girl did. B was hoping to see the two of them meeting up for a tryst.

Instead she found only me, my wife, and my trusty camera.

So what have we learned from this whole ordeal. What is the moral of this story? Build friendships with your neighbours at your own risk.

The End.

Hopefully.