A bit private

Mr. Me and I were engaged in conversation by one of the locals yesterday. We learned who was doing what with who, who'd fallen out with who, who was a bit funny, etc, etc. I also learned that we're considered 'a bit private.'

Mr. Me tells me this means they know little about us and would like to know more. I'm slightly afraid. DIY Steve, however, seems to understand (after interacting with the local characters) exactly why we 'keep ourselves to ourselves.'

I find this amusing. I can't think of many in our social group or at work that would consider me a private person. It's just my idea of community consists of work and hobbies, not necessarily where I live. It's also not so much a matter that I think I'm any better than my neighbors, just that we're separated by class boundaries and interests.

I honestly couldn't see getting any of these people to the Retro Bar, nevermind a night of Elgar.

We also discovered that the next apartment block has some drug problems. Apparently the mother is on disability of some kind, while the kids (18-19) just run riot over the place. Two of our neighbors called the Greater Manchester Police on them to no avail. Wigan and Leigh Housing, likewise absolutely useless. Both are terribly unsurprising. My experiences with both agencies were all negative. Not once did I find them helpful, fast, interested....

Mind you, if I'd been smoking at a train station and looked wrong at staff, they'd be all over me like trash in Wigan town centre. Such priorities!

At least I work in a post code where they give a flying, if not live in one.