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Should I do anything? Should I worry? Next door neighbour

2 replies

bathsh3ba · 06/04/2020 16:46

Our next door neighbour is a gentleman in his 80s, very nice and no existing health issues that we know of other than that he is very hard of hearing. He lives alone in a 3 bed house. I have a phone number for his son who lives a few miles away but don't know him very well.

This gentleman is really not social distancing. He is going out by car two or three times a day, the same as he usually does. He isn't having visitors like he usually does but he is definitely going out.

Yesterday, my daughter accidentally hit a tennis ball into his back garden and when I went to collect it, I edged round the edge of his front garden to give him space, saying "best be careful" and he said "oh yes, I forget". I've offered to get him shopping but he thanks me and tells me he doesn't need help.

Then today we had a delivery and he came out of his house to chat to the delivery driver the same as he always does and was definitely not 2m away - in fact he came onto our driveway. As the driver drove away, our neighbour walked back onto his driveway and had a coughing fit where he actually hawked on the pavement (yuck).

I think I'm equally worried about him and for us! Should I say anything to his son, or is it none of my business? And how worried should I be about having probably been within a metre of him getting the ball yesterday, even if only briefly?

OP posts:
Lipz · 06/04/2020 16:54

I don't think I'd be contacting his son. The driving part I don't know what you can do about that. Delivery drivers have been told world wide to put parcels on door steps, knock, stand back, when door answered driver shows he's signing for delivery. If the delivery driver is staying close for chats then that's silly . You knocking for tennis balls is not very wise, I'm binning everything that comes over, neighbor's aren't happy but the knocking and the self helping themselves was extremely annoying. By you getting stuff back you are putting both of you in 'danger '.

Leah2005 · 06/04/2020 16:57

His son may well already know what his dad is doing. My dad refuses to stay in - age 81 and walks to sainsbury's every day. I tell him every time we speak on the phone bur he just says he is OK. There is nothing I can do to stop him and your neighbour's son is in a similar position. Try not to worry about your contact yesterday - worrying about it won't change anything. Just practice good hygiene and physically avoid him where you can.

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