Oh boy! I just called the cops on my neighbors.

[murielm99]

33. At least you have people who call!

Attitudes have changed, thank God.

When I was in my twenties, in the 1970's, I lived in an apartment with thin walls. We, too, had a guy who beat his wife. I was the only one who ever called, and I think the guy knew it was me.

One night, I came home to an ambulance and several cop cars. The neighbors were all standing around outside. There were remarks like, "Well, did he finally kill her?" and "I wonder if she will live through this beating?"

When I asked the neighbors, especially some of the larger, younger men, why none of them had ever intervened, they said it was none of their business if a guy hit his wife. She probably had it coming.

That time, it was him, not her. He slipped and hit the back of his head, knocking himself out and ending up with a concussion.

I heard that she ran away while he was in the hospital. I hope she never came back. I don't know, though. We bought a house and moved away.