AHA! The voice of reason! Finally, someone has addressed the fact that he's a murderer. WOW! That sounds really harsh for the man I know!

Suppose I could cop out and say that I don't know the story behind the murder. He did 20 yrs. His open admission. Still, he took a life, right? Right. He does have a short temper and he knows it. Not making excuses, but hubby invited him to go shoot pool at a nearby bar. He declined because of the risk of someone pissing him off. He drinks, though. He's a hilarious drunk.

Actually, I answered my own questions as I read the riot act to my mentally challenged neighbor. He's taken up with a woman who is pregnant with someone else's child and, to boot, can get psychotic when she's without her meds... and she is right now. Her friends are gang members. Then it hit me!

So... what do I do with this exhuberant, murdering friend who checks on me whenever he happens to go by or thinks of me, slips my shoes on for me if I happen to want them on, runs across the street to help me out of my best friends suv when she brings me home, etc., etc., etc. How do you say "No, thank you"? He's not courting me. "That's just the way I am, 'mija'." (or "mama" depending on his mood) One time I slipped and called him "papi". That brought me up short!! It slipped out as easlily as if I'd called someone that all my life. My dad wasn't around much. Was that just "culture" speaking? Maybe... I don't know. I doubt that I would have called my dad that since he was an Englishman.

Wants2, you seem to know me as well as I know me. What's the chances of it NOT going into a crush, eh? It's not yet, because I don't think of him incessantly, my heart doesn't skip a beat when I see him, etc. But... "when you're desperate, you do crazy things." That's something else I told my MC neighbor. Yeah... I was listening to myself.

I know what the emotional consequences would be. Just like it's been every other time; hurt and disappointment. That's a given.

He hasn't left his lady friend.

Even if my husband gave a damn, I wouldn't deceive him. That's been tested and I passed the several tests, both before we split up and during the split up. Now there's now. It's just not in me to deceive him.

The only child that would find out would be my youngest because he comes around most often. Although he tells me that I should have never let his dad move back in, he would be totally disappointed in me if he even thought there was more to it than just friendship. He'll probably judge the friendship, too.

My neighbor becoming unpredictable, (he already is!) but especially violent is what has me in this quandry. The way I see it, we're already in harms way by just befriending him to the point that we have. No, that's not an excuse to become friendlier. It's a doubt that hubby and I both have. At any other point in time, I would have shunned this man. I've become less judgemental and more accepting in my old age.

Yes, I said OLD AGE. I'm almost old enough to be your mother, hun. Your chances ARE NOT used up. Please don't think that way.

The question still remains; what do I do with this kind, funny, exhuberant, caring man that has committed murder... and served his time??