The characters around here

The Hillbilly Porch Dwellers, late 40s-early 50s

At the entrance to the townhouse complex, both houses are home to what Deb and her husband refer to as the "Hillbilly Porch Dwellers."  These women are often found sitting on their front porches, chain-smoking and staring down the oncoming traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian.  While such neighbours might be useful as a members of the Neighbourhood Watch, "watch" in this case is used simply as a verb and not a noun.

Generally, activities such as reading, use of a laptop, actively watching one's own children playing or meaningful social interaction with others might be considered a good use of time while front porch dwelling.  Inactivity renders one as creepy and without better things to do with one's time.  Conversation with the Hillbilly Porch Dwellers has been kept to a bare minimum as the staring and chain-smoking often serves as a force field-like perimeter for avoidance.

One might guess that these women (in two separate houses) are perhaps in their early 50s, but could very well be in their late 30s.  Smoking has definitely taken its toll on what could perhaps have been beautiful, tooth-filled smiles and facial skin that now bears a striking semblance to raisins.