Would You Describe Your Neighbor as a Friend? (Today’s Question of the Century)

I decided to take a break from doomscrolling Facebook, and doomscrolled Reddit instead. A subreddit asked an interesting question: are you friends with your neighbors?

...huh.

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Growing up in BFE northern Minnesota, my neighbors were either relatives or longtime family friends who might've been related but Ancestry.com didn't yet exist. Dating in this area always involved asking who the other person's relatives were to make sure you weren't cousins.

Just because you're related to someone doesn't mean you're friends (or even friendly) with them. And just because you're neighbors doesn't automatically make you friends.

Or friendly...

For the first time in my life, I live in a large apartment building. I can safely say that I am not friends with any of my neighbors...because I've only met a few, and those were in passing. None have invited us to dinner, nor have they been invited to dinner.

Before this apartment I lived in a townhouse community. And once again I was friends with exactly zero neighbors.

After spending a couple minutes thinking through all of the places I've lived, I've realized that I can honestly say I've never been friends with any of my neighbors.

Comedian Steve Hofstetter recently played in St Cloud, and made this astute observation of the locals: "Minnesotans are so nice...to your face."

That's Minnesota for you. We're friendly enough to your face, but if you don't have something we want...K then buh bye.

Ouch.

H/T: Reddit