I have a neighbor who never seems to look at his text messages. Whether they are a group text regarding the whole condo or a private message sent by anyone, including me, he’ll sometimes take days to look at them.
I’m always complaining and asking him, “What if it’s about something important?” He doesn’t seem to care. And now I am thinking about that.
Our building texts and neighborhood texts have really gotten annoying. We have a building text just for our small condo, with about 20 people on it and there is a WhatsApp text chain with the whole cul-de-sac, with maybe 50 or 60 people on it.
And while our condo text turns into long chains about someone’s lost Amazon package, so has the neighborhood text – with people not only looking for their lost delivery at their next door neighbor’s house, but around the whole neighborhood.
Of course it gets annoying when people respond. For instance, someone will text, “Did anyone see my Amazon package?” And then all the responses come in – “not me,” “not me,” “not me,” “not me,” and so on. Annoying.
In our condo text, we have one neighbor that has to comment on everything, mostly with “Thank you!” Someone will say, “I planted a bush out back” and she’ll respond, “Thank you!” Or someone will say, “I moved my car so the plumber can park in my space,” And she’ll respond, “Thank you!” Even if it’s not her space and has nothing to do with her.
The other morning a new guy who moved in texted us all at 6 am to tell us he spoke with the mayor about an issue we actually don’t have in the neighborhood, but wants to make an issue. Of course my other neighbor had to play into his nonsense with a big, “Thank you!” only she said, “Thank you very, very much!”
We have one family text with a friend we grew up with since we were kids. Billy is really one of the family after all these years and his texts consist of a long chain of things, all in one text – usually pictures. If the Miami Dolphins win, he sends 20 images of the Dolphins and some text, if it’s someone’s birthday, he’ll send 40 pictures and some text. He’ll do that for whatever comes up.
I have the sound off for that, because the non-stop binging sound of everyone replying and starting a long conversation drives me nuts. Many times, I’ll glance at my phone and see “40 texts” waiting to be read. After freaking out, thinking it’s an emergency, it’s Billy texting something about Paul McCartney’s birthday or something else – he’s a huge Beatles fan from childhood.
I fell for his Dolphins text yesterday – I looked at my phone and saw 30 messages. I looked at it wondering what it was, and it was Billy celebrating the start of the football season, with a bunch of Miami Dolphin images and logos. After yesterday’s Dolphins big loss, I guess he will be quiet for a bit today.
But if I wasn’t part of the texts I would feel left out. So, I’m glad I’m part of it. And once in a while I’ll answer Billy’s texts if it’s someone’s birthday or something. I always answer all my other texts. Or ignore them if it requires no response. Which most do these days.
Until next time. . .
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