Holy Shit! What a morning I’ve had. As if the super cold, shitty weather weren’t enough and a front-row seat to how severe Jennifer’s migraines are, I found out my next-door neighbor died suddenly. Initially there was a call from the area I ignored yet my iPhone didn’t brand it as a spammer so I called it back to get Cristina’s sister (Claudia) who wanted me to know Cristina passed away this week. The part frightening me was how she knew who I was…I was the last text message conversation on Cristina’s phone, something routine about the garbage can and how I told her about the dumpster I rented for the contractors. My immediate worry was another call from the police. Nope. Phew! Claudia wanted to just let me know what happened.
Here’s the part that really sucks. Cristina’s family only discovered her passing this morning, like the twilight hours (1-3 AM) after her not responding for several days. I explained to Claudia about how I had been living in a hotel lately and didn’t think anything was odd beyond her car being in the driveway; normally Cristina parks in the garage. However, I figured she had been working from home this month as her job rotates the employees between their offices and home at intervals. Besides, we could go days without seeing each other over the 18 years Cristina had been my neighbor. Why the car was outside? I dunno, maybe errands and there wasn’t any urgency. Meanwhile, the police officer he broke a window to get in deduced Cristina expired either the Sunday or Monday of this week while she was watching TV.
Let me answer your immediate questions you probably have. Cristina was around my age, possibly a tad older. She was in decent health and only smoked occasionally, I often could smell it when she was doing it in her backyard. No kids but there was an ex-husband who never came around. Ergo, her death was out of the blue. As per most US laws, an autopsy will done to confirm no foul play or CV-19 yet I suspect it was probably a stroke or a freak incident of “dying in your sleep,” the latter being code for a health issue too minuscule to catch in time nor matter.
Cristina’s departure really sucks! She was a cool neighbor. We got along over the 18 years. We even worked out a fair arrangement on rebuilding the fence and splitting the trash bill. She helped keep an eye on the house when I traveled to Vegas or had other long trips. I wish I met more of her family under better circumstances. My final concern will be what happens to the house. I doubt she had a will, another matter I keep procrastinating over. I would prefer a nice family member inheriting it over some vulture swooping in and converting it into an overpriced rental for several tech bros to lease.
Thanks for the last 18 years of being the better neighbor Cristina. My only regret is not having the house finished up enough to have you come in, socialize and share some coffee or tea with me.