Advice on Living Next to a Dysfunctional Family with a Shared Wall

If you have ever lived in a downstairs apartment than you know how thin the floorboards are. At first it was the daily screaming matches with their teenaged daughter that was our entertainment. It would leave us with our ears pressed to the windows open, trying to hear every last work of the drama that was occurring. It was the highlight of our day. As I look back, I cant believe how tame it began.

Combine this with the mother who bragged about sleeping in the same bed with her fourteen year old son and a bag of popcorn and you were practically watching the movie of the week. This movie of the week was ongoing; it was twenty four hours per day.

During our first coffee date in their living room between the two couples is when it was first mentioned that the teenage boy not only slept with the parents but having wet dreams and waking up with an erection. This was disturbing, it was even more disturbing when the mother compared the anatomy on the boy to that of the father with the hint of "It's bigger, he had better stop growing!"

Returning the favor of the visit and in good neighbor spirit we reciprocated with an invite to a dinner of salmon, risotto and asparagus. I can't say that I was surprised to hear that the children had not tasted fresh vegetables before. They were openly shocked to hear that they did not come from a can.