How To Handle and Nurture Relationships With Your Neighbors I’ve always said that I don’t have time for neighbors. When I’m leaving the house I am often in a hurry. When I am coming home I have to go to the bathroom or need to pour some bourbon. I have no time or desire to talk about trash pickup or the two clouds in the sky, or the Bed Bath & Beyond flyer that floated over the property line. Therefore it always takes me longer than most to get to know my neighbors. For the most part I am fine with that. What works against the friendly neighbor is that you only see them when they are at the foot of your driveway. They may be the coolest people but just like relationships, timing is everything. They are like the tree huggers that stand outside Whole Foods asking you to sign petitions. Let me come bother you on your lunch break and see if you feel like listening to my monologue about biodiversity and its socio-economic impact on nature conservation. Neighbor Relations You need to nurture some sort of relationship with you neighbors, if for no other reason than Homeland Security! I mean home security. You and your least annoying neighbor should have each other’s phone number for emergencies. Just recently a friend of mine went to work and had to leave in the afternoon because her entire apartment was on fire, with her dog Sophie trapped inside. Her neighbor called her.