My neighbor, who is a talkative character, lives in a gated community, with a gate that can be opened by a code. He often accosts me in the street to tell me his stories. His house has windows that stick out into the street, allowing him to see the passersby while sitting at his kitchen table. He amuses himself by observing his neighbors and their dogs. He confesses he has become a stickybeak—a term from Australia, where he once lived, for an overly inquisitive person. He told me his neighbors are few, but that to his trained eye—he is a retired physician--an amazing variety of ailments unfold daily.