In a previous thread, Housemouse asked:

What would you suggest telling a next door neighbor who knows of all your preps, says they too are going to prepare, but haven't gotten around to it yet, and you secretly suspect they are counting on your heat, your water, your food, etc. as their back-up plan. You don't want to alienate them, but want them to stop relying on you.

RMH answered:

I have neighbors exactly like yours. They would come peek into my garage while the door was open, to inspect my preparations. So here's what I did: I had a heavy duty storage shed (really a very small barn) built on another property I own, insulated it, and moved all the stuff to it when I knew the neighbors weren't home. The next time the garage door was open, the neighbors came by again. "What did you do with all your supplies?" they asked, perplexed. I told them that I sure do feel foolish admitting this but, gosh darn, I decided I had overreacted to that whole y2k problem, and I up and sold that stuff to some other y2k survivalist sucker! Yep. I sure was off my rocker a while there, wasn't I? Thinking that y2k would be a big problem! What was I thinking? Hah, I sure was foolish! Etc. Then I quoted the stupid bump-in-the-road arguments about how great the remediation is coming along, and the government is 92 percent ready, etc. I invited my neighbors to come in and take a look at my small pantry of "emergency" supplies -- about 50 cans of food and some candles and matches. I told them I'd share it with them if they ever needed. Well, they decided I finally came to my senses! What a swell and reasonable neighbor I was after all!

Moral of the story: If my stupid, lazy ass, looting, mooching neighbors won't take steps to save their butts, I sure won't. Their NEED does not impose an OBLIGATION on me! I remember reading Macchiavelli's "The Prince" in college, and I learned a thing or two from that book. I'll make my neighbors think what I WANT them to think, and then I'll secretly do as I please.

-- RMH (aint@tellin.com), May 19, 1999

Answers

Tell them you kept the 12 gauge and some 00 buck, just in case.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), May 19, 1999.

Brilliant. Only wish I could lie straight-faced like that. Of course, it's always possible that the neighbors have a similar cache somewhere that they're not telling him about. Unlikely, but possible.

My neighbors aren't preparing either, or so they say. But they do have a basement, which we don't. Next time there's a tornado warning...

-- one damn (thing@after.another), May 19, 1999.

I expect my well-meaning, but momentum-challenged neighbors to hint sometime this year that, of course, I would be willing to share. If so, I will say it is something I will certainly consider, but they are crazy if they think I will jeopardize the well-being of my family when their family means so little to them. Although there are a number of ways I am willing to help out (food, water, hand crank washing machine), the help I anticipate they are most likely to need (heat) is the situation most likely to unduly stress my parents. I don't expect to feel much sympathy for those who knew enough and had the means to prepare but chose not to. On the other hand, I will be ready to make housecalls to the elderly in my neighborhood.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), May 19, 1999.

Yeh, this is a tough one for sure. People have gotten used to being "taken care of" by the government in emergencies and don't want to spend any of their own money on this now. If the local community center was giving out "Y2k food coupons" which cost nothing right now but entitled you to a stash of food after 1/1/2000, people would pick them up. As long as they don't have to spend their own money, they feel OK about it. I'm sure that a lot of folks are really glad to know that some of their neighbors are stocking up, so that they will have a place to go looking for food if things get real difficult. And to add insult to injury, they will laugh at you right now.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), May 19, 1999.

RMH,

I understand your feelings. While I have not yet broached the subject with my neighbors (three are moving, two out of the neighborhood and state), I have been thinking about how to go about it. I'm back in the neighborhood after 20 or so years and am still trying to make up for all the years the renters let the house go to hell. (laughing) The lawn looks a lot better, got some flowers around the trees, painted the outside of the house last fall, and put up an antique outdoor hanging lamp from a Chicago mansion. When October came around, we did about 6 big jack o lanterns with a New york design style and handed out the candy like there was no tomorrow. Folks started to lighten up.

I was thinking about going door to door on my immediate block with the puppy (once it is trained on a leash) and say hello-- on some Junish sunday afternoon. I'll give them a copy of the Utne Y2K reader and see who needs help or who has ideas if things take two weeks to get fixed. Those that express greater concern or sensitivity to Y2K problems will get invited to one of the NOVA-Y2K group Y2K introduction meetings. I also had another idea, have some kid stuff every mailbox with the Utne Y2K reader, but the mailman thought this might be legally problematic.

With one near neighbor as a secret service agent and another as a war college professor, you'd think they already knew about Y2K and might have done something neighborly, themselves. Well, they haven't said anything. These two just smile and wave as I carry in the cases of can food. On the other hand, I keep waiting to read about a Y2K talk in my church's bulletin. No such luck yet. I know one of the priests and do remember him saying that quite a few unnamed parishioners had been stocking up since last year. I guess that they're too shy to speak up.

Anyway, our intern GIed yesterday. She is Chinese, but spent most of her life in Vietnam. Her parents were Buddhist missionaries. I almost regretted mentioning Y2K to her. Her family really isn't in a good position to make preparations for a month. So I guess, I'll be helping them out. Of course, this just makes our preparations all the more difficult. But it is not unique. Several people have asked me for help and I had to turn them down as I felt that if they took Y2K seriously enough, they could restructure their lifestyle and get prepared in time. The point being that neighbors may, indeed, want your help-food.

Now here's an idea that came to my mind late last night. What if we sent materials like the UTNE Y2K reader through a third party to the people that won't hear us out? It might get more attention than what we could say or show them. Of course, you'd need the mailing addresses of the people and have to be willing to pay for the postage, material (about $US 1.00 for the UTNE Y2K reader), and handling fee (say a dollar). I don't know if it would help. It might. What do you think?

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), May 19, 1999.

I suggest you keep your mouth shut and say nothing about your plans and preparations to anyone who knows where you live and what your feelings are regarding Y2K. What do you plan to do when they show up on your door step and their intentions are to mooch off you? I would tell them "Your lack of responsibility does not become my responsibility." If you choose to help your irresponsible neighbors, plan to spend double what you have laid out thus far....can you afford it$$$$$

-- twicearound (twicearound@twice.com), May 19, 1999.

Stan -- send the Utne Reader through the mail anonymously. You don't want your neighbors to catch on to how prepared you are... [Have a great time Thursday night! I'll be thinking of you all!]

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), May 19, 1999.

Stan,

You sound like a very gracious, level headed sort of guy. I have tried for so long to persuade people where I work to do some preparations, but I can't get them to even buy one extra can of food. One woman bought a plastic 55 gallon drum for water, but just can't seem to get around to filling it! This is like pulling teeth, and for the most part I have given up. Spending money distributing the Utne Reader will probably be throwing good money after bad. Anyone feel like an ignored Prophet?

There's so much strong evidence that people could be in for some troubles, but they won't prepare. I don't understand them. People have even joked "Well, if anything happens, I know where to come." Ha ha. That's why I decided to nip in the bud the problem with my neighbors. I think these people really mean it. They expect I will take care of them! And they will be indignant and threatening when I firmly say, "No" in 2000. My highest duty is to my family. If and only if I meet that requirement will I take care of others. Next comes my fellow church members. And of course I don't have the resources to feed all them, so there's no "next" after that.

-- RMH (aint@tellin.com), May 19, 1999.

Stan,

Where do you get that UTNE(?) reader? I feel really bad for my neighbors- I have brought up y2k passively to almost everyone and no bites. If I could go stick these in their paper boxes in the middle of the night maybe I could feel better about warning prople and save face too! Thanks

-- Johnny (jljtm@bellsouth.net), May 19, 1999.

Well I talked to some family and friends about y2k. None seemed too concerned. But I let them know, the very least they should do is store food and water for a couple of weeks. (Just in case) They all agreed they could do that. I have told them, we have a generator and fuel to keep the heat on, if things get bad, you can come stay with us, BUT, bring food. Hint taken.

-- Terri Wicker (Hutch91958@aol.com), May 19, 1999.

Utne "Y2K Citizen's Action Guide" is available at www.utne.com/y2k

Not sure the price is the same now, but we bought 50 books for $57.50 including shipping. We gave them to neighbors and family and a couple of close friends who in turn shared with their neighbors. Out of 23 homes in our little neighborhood, there are only 3 who are doing nothing. Everyone else is preparing for various lengths of time from a month to a year. We have had a meeting and are setting up security - by the way marine boat horns are great for signaling neighbors 1/2 mile away. Good luck.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), May 19, 1999.

The beginning of Hurricane season in Hawaii is less than two weeks away. It is already the last minute. Might as well prepare for that as a springboard for Y2K. That should get folks to at least start their preparations. Besides, buying food in bulk actually cuts your food costs...as does growing your own.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), May 19, 1999.

I got some courage up and I gave a neighbor a copy of UTNE's Y2K book.

I picked up a couple things from my neighbor who had a yard sale and set some things aside for me: shovel, wood splitter, ladder, gas can, and some other things. They are moving in a week or so; he says that they don't know where they are moving to (somewhere in the country). They are putting their furniture, corvette, etc. into storage and are hitting the road in a new van. They've sold off a few cars, decided to sell their house recently, he's retiring, and they're going off into the sunset. Had he heard about Y2K? "The hoax!" he exclaims with a warm smile. "Well, it will be something," I say with a warm smile.

Later, I give him the UTNE Y2K reader with a shrug. "It might be interesting reading," I say. He smiles (again, a warm smile) and asks if it advises taking all your money out of the bank and hiding it in the back yard. "It recommends that you carry an umbrella for falling airplanes," I answer in laughter. As we are about to say our good byes, I ask, "So what part of the government did you used to work for?" "Nuclear..." is coming out of his mouth, very carefully. He stops short with a grin. "NERC," I say with a bigger smile as I adjust my Y2K baromometer from today's 4-6 to 6-8. It was just a gut feeling.

"Ok. Just one question," I ask. He agrees quickly, knowing that lots of questions are coming. "Are any nuclear power plants going to be shut down?" "No," he says. "If they are not 100% compliant, they will continue to operate?" I ask. "Yeah," he says. "But NERC says they will shut them down," I reply questioningly. "If it is a law, that's one thing. I would know if NERC was going to shut down a nuclear power plant. You can't keep a lid on THAT... on the inside. That's 20% of our country's power. If it's wishful thinking... something just in reports or testimony or on paper... something people are saying... that's another thing [I'm paraphrasing this last statement]." "So are you leaving because of Y2K?" I asked a second time. "No," he answered.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), May 19, 1999.

Life in the big city (yes San Jose, CA has become a big city) brings with it my biggest Y2K fear.. My neighbors.

I can prepare all I want but I can not feed the whole block. Can't afford to move... Got to hope amongst hope that Y2K is a "quiet spring" and that it will hit slowly and that people will just "drift away" leaving a ghost town in Silicon Valley....

Not much of a chance I quesss....

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), May 19, 1999.

Hey RMH,

I'm in a similar situation, but my take on it is this: I'll tell them I'm getting ready, but when they come around for help, I'll have enough to help them out long enough to get the hell away from me! I'll give them enough supplies to make it to the nearest government "relief" camp. Bon voyage.

-- Clyde (clydeblalock@hotmail.com), May 20, 1999.

you could always casualy talk with your neighbor about going off the deep end and that you expect to need to defend yourself from whackos,thus making yourself look like a whacko.and no one messes with nutbags with guns,too unpredictable.

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 20, 1999.