DEAR ABBY: How much should a neighborhood do to keep up a vacant house?
asserted
neighborhood → do → house
About 15 years ago, a couple in their 50s moved into the end of my cul-de-sac.
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couple → move → sac
Their two children were out of college; the son lived elsewhere, and the daughter lived with them.
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daughter → live → them
Almost two years ago, the dad died suddenly.
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dad → die → ?
The mom moved out of state with relatives.
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mom → move → relatives
We have asked the children to sell or move the cars, but nothing has been done.
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nothing → ask → cars
The taillights have been broken, and in one car, a window is down, and kids can get into it.
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kids → break → it
When can we ask the police to declare the cars abandoned and tow them?
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cars → ask → them
The son comes by about once a month to get the mail.
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son → come → mail
Bill collectors come by and ask how to get in touch with the owners.
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collectors → come → owners
Even the utilities aren’t paid.
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utilities → pay → ?
When I called the daughter about all this, she suggested I give out her brother’s phone number.
uncertain
I → call → number
Is it our responsibility to help creditors and utilities get in touch with the owners’ children?
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creditors → help → children
Several of us regularly pick up litter that blows into the yard.
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that → pick → yard
I raked up leaves in the fall.
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I → rake → fall
I watered the roses in summer.
asserted
I → water → summer
I am older than the owner and don’t want to look after two yards.
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I → want → yards
Do you have any suggestions?
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you → have → suggestions
Sympathy for the bereaved is all well and good, but after two years of this, enough is enough.
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enough → bereave → this
You’ve gone above and beyond as a generous neighbor, and it’s time to recognize that your efforts have not been appreciated.
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efforts → go → neighbor
The abandoned cars are a safety concern and should be reported to the police immediately.
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cars → abandon → police
It’s not your responsibility, but they’ll have no reason to bother you after that.
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they → ’ → that
For all the other unsightly concerns that have accumulated, make a detailed list and report everything to the city.
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that → accumulate → city
I’m willing to bet the place gets cleaned up (or sold) in a hurry once municipal fines have been assessed.
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fines → ’m → hurry
I have had a best friend, “Carolyn,” since seventh grade.
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I → have → grade
Her husband died more than 10 years ago, and every year a graduating senior receives a small scholarship in his memory.
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senior → die → memory
This year, my granddaughter graduated, which Carolyn surely knows, yet Carolyn’s family awarded the scholarship to another senior.
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family → graduate → senior
I am so hurt by this I don’t know how to handle it.
asserted
I → hurt → it
Has it not occurred to you that the student who was awarded the small scholarship may have needed it more than your granddaughter?
uncertain
who → occur → granddaughter
Your friendship with Carolyn should not be a factor in who received the award.
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who → receive → award
Handle your disappointment by recognizing that you were wrong to assume your granddaughter would be guaranteed anything.
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granddaughter → handle → anything
** ** **
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren.
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Abby → write → Buren
For nearly four decades, Jeanne Phillips penned this column, which was founded in 1956 by her mother, Pauline Phillips.
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which → pen → mother
The Aporia
