Country Life

People generally say that big cities are anonymous and that moving to a new city means having to come to terms with being lonely for a long stretch of time...well, I beg to differ. I've moved around and lived in plenty of big cities across the globe, and it was only a matter of days before my neighbours came knocking on my door or the news agent started engaging me in conversation, thereby confirming their acceptance and making me officially 'one of them'.
Not so out here, in the country. My immediate neighbours have been here for generations, and although I've been living here for a couple of years now, I'm still only referred to as 'that new girl'; whether I live here for 3, 5 or even 10 years makes no difference! Which is sad, because I have tried to ingratiate myself into this community. Oh, there are plenty of other people who do talk to me - families that have moved here too, college kids returning home to find work, women in a similar situation as myself - I just feel that the people living adjacent to us, I mean, we share the same hedge for chrissake! - they're acting a bit bolshy if you ask me.
Last time I came across the lady of the house she was picking apples. One apple happened to have strayed onto the path that separates our bit of garden and hers, and all she had to say was:

'Don't step on the apple.'

Well, at least she acknowledged I even exist!