Marlyn Bandiero

My Neighbor, Sylvia

I like to believe I’m a friendly person. I smile at people, I say hello to my neighbors, maybe even chat about the weather, the world under Covid, our aches and pains, traffic, you know, the mundane things of everyday living. Sometimes, I may ask about their family, the pets. Though, I never really have time to get deep, being wound up in my own life, my own concerns, to stop and engage in someone else’s story. It’s the reality of living in a busy, hectic environment like NYC. Yes, Covid has slowed everything down a bit, but it has also amplified our own concerns even more. We’ve retreated even further into our own world, a by-product of weeks and months in quarantine.