The Distributor

I remember well reading a short story that was published in one of Alfred Hitchcock's collections of favorite short stories.  It was called "The Distributor", and its premise was basically that a not so nice person moved into a neighborhood where everyone got along, living their lives normally and unobtrusively.  The newcomer, aka, The Distributor, arrived in the neighborhood and created enormous havoc among these peaceful neighbors by carefully planned and executed acts of hate and violence, seemingly (key word) perpetuated by each other.  When all the neighbors were at odds with each other, it was time for The Distributor to move on.

I mention this in part because of some civil unrest in my own neighborhood over some loudly barking dogs who are left unattended for the better part of most days and whose noise making is bordering on ridiculous and obnoxious.  In mentioning this to another neighbor, it seems that I've opened a door for said neighbor to run back to the offending dog owners and report my dissatisfaction.

I was gladly going to take on this task myself, in a polite and neighborly fashion and ask them to simply limit the dogs' outdoor times.  I love the dogs.  They are otherwise polite and well-mannered.  However, when other dogs walk by them, they bark until said dogs are out of sight.  In a neighborhood where there are 2.3 dogs per every household, dog walking is the most common outdoor activity.  The noise level is relatively consistent, constant and annoying throughout the day.

Alas, because of the 3rd party intervening, I'm afraid I've now entered into that phase of unpopular neighbor.  I can deal with that.  What I don't like dealing with is a person who feels it necessary to create havoc and chaos where none should really exist.  On the other hand - know thy neighbor is a good philosophy and I, indeed, now know her.  She's a distributor.  She's also a distributor whom has lost a friend.  If there is anything more pathetic than a 50-something year old behaving as an unpopular junior-high adolescent, I simply don't know what it is.  So be it.