Oh, boy, here we go again…

It’s time for another installment of “My Creepy Neighbor!”

There never seems to be a shortage of these kinds of stories, and this one is a real doozy.

And you know things are bad when someone starts acting like this right after you move into a new place.

Yikes!

Check out what this woman had to say about what she’s dealing with…

Creepy or just clueless? Neighbor’s texts.

“Do I need to set boundaries with my male neighbor whose friendly texts are moving into creeping-me-out territory?

I bought a house in a nice neighborhood as a newly divorced mom. The neighbor in question had been friends with the original builder/owner and offered himself as a resource right away, which initially felt like hospitality and was welcome.

He’s retired and claims to enjoy helping out neighbors and has a lovely wife who I’ve gone on a couple of walks with.

Uh oh…

She doesn’t creep me out at all or try to get closer to me, but *he* does.

On the one hand, I appreciate community and knowing my neighbors, and am willing to exchange favors (he has cut my grass in exchange for us keeping an eye on their place when they’re on vacation, moving forward I am going to stop accepting his offers for lawn care).

On the other hand, the tone of some of his communications feel paternalistic (I’m a 51 year old grown adult with her act together) or even verge into “boundary testing through obligation”/assumed closeness behavior.

Let’s see what’s going on here…

Examples follow.

He is a member of a high-control religion that is very similar to the one I was raised in, and I’m not sure if that is the vibe that triggers me (as his religion mandates that he “proselytize” by being a good neighbor) or if there is more I should listen to my gut for.

What matters to me: maintaining as healthy of a relationship possible with a neighbor while maintaining boundaries, privacy and safety.

Then there are the texts.

Recent texts:

– Our neighbor (name) passed away suddenly yesterday. Would you like to sign a sympathy card? I can leave it in the porch if you could return it within a day so we can pass it to others. Just let us know.

(I have never met this person.)

– Thanks for letting us use your driveway (to back up trailer). It makes the impossible possible. Is everyone there laughing at my failed attempts?

(Feels gross because he assumes we are interested/staring at him!?)

What is this guy doing…?

– Unsolicited advice giving including prepping (which I have not expressed interest in but is a feature of his HCR). I have made the mistake (?) of asking for advice on two occasions in the past which has given him license it seems to assume a role of advice-giver

– Frequent (approx. one dozen) invitations to either a) join them to go camping at a local site (hell to the NO due to creepy factor) or b) just enjoy a dinner he cooks at campsite – the answer has always been no thanks but the invitations keep coming and feel almost like dry begging at this point.

She’s tired of dealing with him…

I ignore most of his messages, which are too frequent at best and feel weird/invasive at worst, and feel the need to set a limit but unsure of what’s appropriate.

As you can see, I question myself and due to the CPTSD I have from my cult upbringing, struggle to recognize and set boundaries or believe my own gut checks.

I don’t know if he’s just a socially clueless awkward religious guy who means well but unintentionally triggers me, or something more nefarious.”

Reddit users shared their thoughts.

This person had a lot to say.

Another reader shared their thoughts.

This individual weighed in.

Another person spoke up.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a family who finds a technicality in the law that allows them to keep their pool after their neighbors report it.

And this individual shared their thoughts.

Yeah, she needs to put her foot down about this…

Because it’s getting weird over there!

Not to mention, creepy!

This guy is stepping over the line, and she’s not happy about it…