The Narcissistic Neighbor

While traveling in my mini van I am dependent upon campgrounds and National Forest Lands to park at night.  When in a campground, one doesn’t get to choose her neighbors.  Well, do we ever?

My neighbors in the Rio Grande Canyon were a group of party animals, but there was one such animal, in the group, although I never saw his face, I most certainly heard his voice.  He had one of those really loud, obnoxious voices and he never stopped talking.  Never!

The campground had quiet hours from 10pm to 8am so I thought maybe the party might die down after 10pm, but no such luck.  I don’t know what it is with certain people, under the influence of alcohol, who feel they have to talk, like there is heavy machinery in use.

I wanted to jump out of my van and march over there, all wild haired and wide eyed and say “Hey, indoor voices,” even though we were technically outdoors.  But with my experience with narcissists, I knew it wouldn’t end well for me.  It never does.  Instead I opted to accept this obnoxious invasion into my peace and tranquility as part of the journey.  After all, every journey has it’s darkness and its light.

Most people respect the rules of the camp, but narcissists never believe the rules apply to them.  This group kept talking until about 4am, and I was awake for most of it.  Since his voice was dominating the conversation, I imagined the rest of his group started yawning and dropping like flies.  If I could have been so lucky.  It was likely after the last person in the group dropped that he finally stopped talking and I finally got some sleep.

The next morning the women in the neighboring group made a beeline for my shade spot equipped with their lawn chairs and tarps and this was before breakfast.  It felt like they wanted to lay claim to the aspen tree before anyone else could, even though they weren’t planning on being there right away.  I knew this was my cue to pack up and move on down the road.  Life always provides cues, if we pay attention.  And so the journey continues….