So...my landlady, after a couple-three years of letting her furnished basement apartment sit vacant, must've needed some extra money, because a couple of days ago she informed me that she has a new renter.  He happened to show up to get his keys while I was finishing paying my rent, and we met briefly, and later he stopped by my place to introduce himself at greater length.  He's about as different from me as one can be...an older and rather weatherbeaten local guy...retired long-haul truck driver who is supplementing his Social Security with some construction work...drives a pickup truck with Fraternal Order of Police stickers all over it, etc.  He seems nice enough despite the lack of common ground. Only one problem...his truck desperately needs maintenance (I suspect he doesn't have the money for it) and it sounds like it has absolutely no muffler whatsoever.  As a result, it sounds like there's a whole gaggle of motorcycles in the yard every time he leaves or returns.  It's almost as pleasant as when my landlady's brother comes over to mow the lawn on a weekend morning "before it gets too hot," in other words, early enough to wake me from my sorely needed sleeping-in time.

One thing that did make me laugh: While we were talking the other evening, he asked me about the neighborhood (like me, he must have moved in without really knowing what it's like here), and one of the main things he wanted to know was whether it's quiet here.  LOL...funny that he should be asking that.