Neighbor Question - WWYD? (1 Viewer)

[Steve Tasker]

So, my next-door neighbor is a bit a recluse, bit of a loner.  Maybe 70-75 years old, lives alone, retired, very infrequent visitors, no family that I'm aware of other than his sister who stops by every so often, just kinda keeps to himself.  He's friendly enough, I'll see him once every 2 months or so if I'm out in the yard, a friendly hello, harmless but nothing more than mere pleasantries.  Our houses are physically very close to one another, and I can usually see him piddling around his house a few times a week, doing the dishes, watching TV, things like that.  I barely know him, and I've heard from other neighbors that he's always been that way; I've lived here for 3 years.

Garbage day is Friday.  He took out the garbage on Thursday 8/9 and never brought in the garbage can.  Unusual but I didn't think much about it until we hit Tuesday/Wednesday.  Still nothing, garbage can just sitting out there.  My wife and I started keeping an eye out for any sight of him being alive in the house, but haven't seen him in the past few days.  I've taken note of what lights are on in his house at night and it looks like the same lights have been on for a few days.

I'm thinking about ringing the doorbell tomorrow to see if he answers.  Not sure what I'll say if he answers.  If not, I'll call the police for a welfare check.  Am I out of line?  What would you do?  I don't want to be nosy but if anyone's gonna die and not have anyone notice for weeks, it's this guy.

 

[JuniorGong]

Definitely check on him, hopefully he is okay and you can give him your number and let him know to call you anytime he might need help with whatever. 

 

[jon_mx]

Nothing wrong with calling the police if there is a real suspicion that something is wrong. 

 

[Quint]

Definitely check on him, hopefully he is okay and you can give him your number and let him know to call you anytime he might need help with whatever. 

Exactly. Knock on the door. 

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I'd probably just call it in, but going over first probably makes sense.

 

[comfortably numb]

Is his garage door cracked open a bit?

 

[El Floppo]

Aren't you in Texas? 

Is there a risk this guy answers with a gun? If so, I'd call it in.

 

[Stuart Ullman]

Knock on the door.

If he answers, 

"Hey, my got cat out the other day. I was wondering if you've seen him.

No? Okay, thanks."

 

[Mile High]

Knock on the door.

If he answers, 

"Hey, my got cat out the other day. I was wondering if you've seen him.

No? Okay, thanks."

Yeah. Can be as simple as that. 

 

[Rirruto]

Agreed with knock on the door. He'd probably be thrilled to know someone is missing him to be honest even if nothing is wrong.

 

[Galileo]

Knock on the door.

If he answers, 

"Hey, my got cat out the other day. I was wondering if you've seen him.

No? Okay, thanks."

Alternatively, you can try the truth.

"Hi, I'm your neighbor Steve.  I noticed your garbage can has been out for a few days.  I thought it was unusual, and I just wanted to check in to make sure everything was OK"

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Alternatively, you can try the truth.

"Hi, I'm your neighbor Steve.  I noticed your garbage can has been out for a few days.  I thought it was unusual, and I just wanted to check in to make sure everything was OK"

Don’t be crazy. A complicated story about a rash of break ins and a gang of opioid addicts is the way to go here. 

 

[NotSmart]

Sleep with his neighbor.

 

[NotSmart]

Knock on his door, try calling him, or notify the cops and ask for a welfare check.

It's been 9 days.

 

[Dickies]

Knock on his door. If no answer call the police

 

[shuke]

Knock on the door.

If he answers, 

"Hey, my got cat out the other day. I was wondering if you've seen him.

No? Okay, thanks."

Why make something up?  

Dude go over there now. He could have fallen and broken a hip or something and unable to get to a phone. 

 

[dickey moe]

"Hey, my got cat out the other day. 

No, no... you're just going to confuse him.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

No, no... you're just going to confuse him.

He doesn’t know what a cat is?

 

[jon_mx]

He doesn’t know what a cat is?

Not when it is used as a verb. 

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Why is this even a question?  Go over there and see if everything’s alright. 

 

[rockaction]

Yeah, dude. Go over and check on him. I understand your reluctance and potential reasons for the reluctance, but his safety takes precedence over those reasons.  

 

[AAABatteries]

Yep - seems like a no-brainer you go check on him.  Even if he answers and tell you to #### off it's still better than finding out later that he was hurt or injured and you could have maybe have helped out.

 

[Chemical X]

put his dog in the garbage can, crack the lid and put them both in his garage, but crack the door a bit.

or.....you can wheel his can up his driveway and ring his bell.  might have left for ferragosto holiday.

 

[skol asylum]

Update? You could probably use Google to find his phone number and see if he answers if you don't want to go to the door.

 

[gianmarco]

Definitely do not wait. Go check on him. 

 

[Beef Ravioli]

Check on him! Glad you aren’t my neighbor...what if he has fallen and you are waiting for some type of real reason?

Tell him the truth, “you do not typically leave your trash can out...I was concerned about you...do you need anything”.

If he’s fine, he now knows that you care. If he’s not ok,  I hope you didn’t wait to long!

 

[eoMMan]

Maybe he went on vacation and left his lights on to make people think he was home?

 

[eoMMan]

Maybe knock on his door and ask him if he needs help calculating his RMD for 2018?  Advise him of the penalties involved if he doesn't take it.

 

[Juxtatarot]

Maybe he went on vacation and left his lights on to make people think he was home?

The trash can being left out seems to reduce the likelihood of that.

 

[Sinn Fein]

He's dead, Jim.

 

[simey]

I hope you checked on him. When my grandmother was in her early 80's, her husband (Doc) fell on top of her in the bathroom, and they were in there for four days. Doc's daughter had come by to say hi, and they didn't answer the door, but their cars were in the driveway. She called my uncle who came over, and opened the door and heard them in the bathroom. He couldn't open the door, because Doc was blocking it with his body. The door opened inward, which they changed after this accident.  Anyway, He called 911, and went in through the bathroom window. Both lived, but they were in the hospital for several weeks. They were extremely dehydrated, and my grandmother had broken her ankle in two places, and Doc had broken his hip. 

 

[shadyridr]

This is not nosey at all, its common sense to check on him. As a matter of fact, not sure what took you so long. 

 

[Mjolnirs]

You are SEVERAL days past the "should check on him" question.

Had a neighbor, in his 50s, that nobody saw walk his dog for like 2 days.  His next door neighbor went in through his garage and found him dead on the kitchen floor.

 

[jon_mx]

The trash can being left out seems to reduce the likelihood of that.

He could have taken off around trash day.   Left his trash out the day before and took off.  

 

[Juxtatarot]

He could have taken off around trash day.   Left his trash out the day before and took off.  

Right, and that’s a sign to robbers that he might not be home. 

 

[shadyridr]

My neighbors Facebook message me when I'm away day 2 of a trip to ask if they should take our packages in. This guy won't ring a doorbell a week after his neighbor is possibly dead and then checks with us first. 

 

[JoeSteeler]

Knock on the door.

If he answers, 

"Hey, my got cat out the other day. I was wondering if you've seen him.

No? Okay, thanks."

Why not just use the truth?

cat.

 

[NotSmart]

My neighbors Facebook message me when I'm away day 2 of a trip to ask if they should take our packages in. This guy won't ring a doorbell a week after his neighbor is possibly dead and then checks with us first. 

Maybe instead of slamming him, it would be more helpful to encourage him to go check.

 

[Foosball God]

My neighbors Facebook message me when I'm away day 2 of a trip to ask if they should take our packages in. This guy won't ring a doorbell a week after his neighbor is possibly dead and then checks with us first. 

I'm guessing you have more of a relationship with your neighbors than Tasker does with this neighbor.  He already said he basically never talks to the guy.  Seems like kind of a #### comment.

 

[Steve Tasker]

We went over this morning.  Same lights are still on during daylight.  Rang the doorbell and knocked, no answer.  He's been accumulating a few packages on his porch, which is also a little bit of a concern.  Took a look in the house from his porch windows, everything appears to be in order, neat and tidy, no overt signs of any foul play or anything odd....kinda just looks like it'd look if you cleaned up before you went on vacation.

We called the 311 non-emergency number but apparently Buffalo's 311 line is closed on Sunday.  I submitted an anonymous report online and will call for an update. 

 

[ffjunk]

We went over this morning.  Same lights are still on during daylight.  Rang the doorbell and knocked, no answer.  He's been accumulating a few packages on his porch, which is also a little bit of a concern.  Took a look in the house from his porch windows, everything appears to be in order, neat and tidy, no overt signs of any foul play or anything odd....kinda just looks like it'd look if you cleaned up before you went on vacation.

We called the 311 non-emergency number but apparently Buffalo's 311 line is closed on Sunday.  I submitted an anonymous report online and will call for an update. 

Call the 911 line. Tell them the situation and they should send people over. Do it now.

 

[gianmarco]

We went over this morning.  Same lights are still on during daylight.  Rang the doorbell and knocked, no answer.  He's been accumulating a few packages on his porch, which is also a little bit of a concern.  Took a look in the house from his porch windows, everything appears to be in order, neat and tidy, no overt signs of any foul play or anything odd....kinda just looks like it'd look if you cleaned up before you went on vacation.

We called the 311 non-emergency number but apparently Buffalo's 311 line is closed on Sunday.  I submitted an anonymous report online and will call for an update. 

I would make a more urgent call. Seriously. Use the emergency number and make sure he's ok. 

 

[Steve Tasker]

My neighbors Facebook message me when I'm away day 2 of a trip to ask if they should take our packages in. This guy won't ring a doorbell a week after his neighbor is possibly dead and then checks with us first. 

We are very friendly with the two neighbors on the other side of my house as well as the couple across the street.  I'd know if something happened to them very quickly.

This guy has lived here for years has always just kept to himself.  The previous homeowners told us that, as well as the neighbors that we do know on the other side.  My wife doesn't think she's ever said a word to him.

 

[TheWalkmen]

Call 911 dude

 

[ffjunk]

So many people call for needless things nut this is one where you should use it. Don't be afraid that you are bothering anyone. Its what we are paid to do.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Yeah I'm gonna call 911.

 

[Foosball God]

We went over this morning.  Same lights are still on during daylight.  Rang the doorbell and knocked, no answer.  He's been accumulating a few packages on his porch, which is also a little bit of a concern.  Took a look in the house from his porch windows, everything appears to be in order, neat and tidy, no overt signs of any foul play or anything odd....kinda just looks like it'd look if you cleaned up before you went on vacation.

We called the 311 non-emergency number but apparently Buffalo's 311 line is closed on Sunday.  I submitted an anonymous report online and will call for an update. 

If you don't want to call 911 then maybe call the local police station directly and ask if they can send someone by.

 

[ffjunk]

If you don't want to call 911 then maybe call the local police station directly and ask if they can send someone by.

Problem is sometimes there is no one at the desk and the dispatch center is in a different location.

 

[ghostguy123]

Neighbor of the year

 

[Steve Tasker]

I called, they're gonna send someone over.  It may sound odd but it's not really very uncommon to not physically see this guy outside his house.....I'll go months at a time without actually seeing him out and about.  When he left the garbage can out, I assumed he was just being kinda lazy and maybe he had missed the garbage pickup and was just gonna leave it out for the week, whatever.  Given how little he pays attention to his house that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility.  But now we're 2 days past that second garbage day.