The Top of Georgia Airstream Park is becoming my old hometown a/k/a  Mooringsport, LA.  We have come to know several neighbors and maybe too well, but we all still try to do the social distancing thing.

One of the first we came to know (Kat meets them; I am introduced later) was Laine and her husband Bob.  Bob helped Kat figure out the cable connection here – ‘so sorry, no Korean league baseball’, but it does include CBS and Survivor.  He worked in the Deadliest Catch industry long before it was a TV show, and along the way has owned eight travel trailers, mostly Airstreams.  Laine works retail, starting at Harry & David’s, but she is a bit leery of stores now.  Their chocolate Lab’s name is Bailey.  Bailey is ten, but he remains a puller when leashed.

Then there is Mike who walks every day with 26” strides.  (I played and marched in a ‘6 to 5’ band … six steps every five yards … so I know stride length.)  Mike has no pets but he watches birds.

Bill & Jess were on a week’s vacation in a new 19′ Airstream here from their jobs in Miami.  Then DeSantis closed Florida.  Bill is a photographer with Apple, and she is a teacher.  They grew up in central America.  This has been an enlightening visit for them, now required to work from home and with school out:  they are living their very first spring.  Robins, bluebirds, dogwoods, and tulip poplars – they had never seen them, let alone watched trees going from bare to fully clothed.  Their shelter dogs of mixed breed are known as Nibbler and (Glenn) Frey.  That subtle Eagles reference is mine, but I think they enjoyed it.

Christie and Sam are our summer campground hosts.  She is even more social than The Kat.  Their son Jacob is not yet tall enough to address as “Big Jake”.  They have a cat who shall remain anonymouse.

JoAnne and Mike are respectively a teacher and a cop from the Atlanta area.  Their pets are 30 or so plants, some edible, and a motorized skateboard.  I joke with JoAnne about the status of her crop subsidy application.  She takes my joke in good nature.

Jeff lives on the other side of the bridge.  He has a small dog, perhaps of Chihuahan descent, a canine who likes people but hates only one dog in our village, a medium sized beast who resembles a very small German Shepherd.  I know Jeff’s dog’s habits and character but not the dog’s name.

New arrivals moved in yesterday.  They keep to themselves but I know who they are.  He is a fit 5’ 11” or so redheaded guy with well-kempt facial hair.  I believe he is Prince Harry but I know better than to address him as “Your Highness” or even “Prince”.  He just wants to fit in, so why did he come to Georgia?  Ah, there’s less Covid-19 here than in New York.  That makes sense.  Damn, I can’t believe it.   His wife just emerged from their ‘Stream and she’s a pale-skinned blonde.  I guess she ain’t The Meghan.

And like on page 80 or so of Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust, I have come to understand that everyone needs and deserves a certain measure of privacy.  When we know everyone else’s business and that of their dogs, we know too much.

So keep your distance.   And say safe.