So when the new neighbors moved in across the street, I welcomed them in the way I always had. I baked a pie, walked it over, and introduced myself with a smile.

They were a young couple, probably in their late twenties, with a shiny new pickup truck that seemed far too big for the narrow driveway of their rental house. Their names were Rick and Kayla.

At first, they seemed polite enough. Kayla accepted the pie with a forced smile, and Rick gave me a half-hearted nod before disappearing back inside. I brushed it off, young people were often busy settling in, and I figured they’d warm up eventually.