Woman found dead in home had been dead 2.5 years (rent, mobile home)

[399083453]

Yep, you can have total privacy in Maine. People wont even know you died.

Link

Not surprised.

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by 399083453

Yep, you can have total privacy in Maine. People wont even know you died.

Link

Not surprised.

I do not read the article that way at all, and therefore disagree with that statement.
She was a recluse, removed herself from people even not answering the telephone etc. Stated to anyone that knew her that she wanted to be alone etc. Adding also in many places, homes are occupied in summer months ( ie the snow birds), and with little activity at the house- her own preferences to being left alone- all obviously proved to be this end result. ( even obviously any family she may or may not have had....)

Everything I have seen of " Mainers" is that people help each other, aid if asked with a warm friendly response. As example- there isn't a person around here if say one of us mentioned that we needed help with plowing a driveway etc that someone would jump in/ or send someone without a second word.

Sounds like to me she did all she could to be alone and received her wishes. Sad but true- by her own choice- she lived as she died. Alone.

[ladyalicemore]

In "Country of the Pointed Firs," by Sarah Orne Jewett (1896), one of the stories is about a hermit, jilted by her fiance and depressed, she retired to a small mid-coast island. She died there, and that was how she wanted things.

But people knew her story, and the fishermen always left part of the catch on the beach nearest her house. Those are wonderful stories of mid-coast Maine. Henry James thought they were perfect as short stories.

[mainebrokerman]

its a good thing its winter and cold.....

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by 399083453

Yep, you can have total privacy in Maine. People wont even know you died.

Link

Not surprised.

I can see how that could happen. But it could only happen to someone who really has some kind of emotional or mental issue.

Almost everyone is driven to some kind of interaction with others, either in a church, or a group of some kind. To isolate yourself that much means that you have some kind of issue with how you interact with the world. She was kind of like a bag lady living in a cardboard box on the street. But even there, she would have had connections to other street people.

[OpinionExperience]

Originally Posted by 399083453

Yep, you can have total privacy in Maine. People wont even know you died.

Link

Not surprised.

I agree, Mainers keep to themselves and get offended if you try to meet your new neighbors. To have someone dead next door for two years and no one smelled the decomposing body?

While living in NJ I like getting to know the people in my neighborhood. I lived on a small public road so we were at the end of the list to get plowed so I plowed it. An old widow lived nearby and we shoveled her walks and drive. NJ helps the neighbors too as does every state I am sure. Sandy showed how caring people can be when in a desperate situation.

[399083453]

Originally Posted by maineborzoi

Sounds like to me she did all she could to be alone and received her wishes. Sad but true- by her own choice- she lived as she died. Alone.

Not sad at all. Many people do not wish to socialize and really do want to be left alone.

Welcome to Maine. Land of the introverts.

[maineborzoi]

I have the opposite true, as many here on the Maine forum as well, as people known their neighbors, and all work together if one asks.
Mainers are friendly, warm, sincere and social. They are also respectful- if a person wishes not to be around people, they respect that too.

Now- when I lived in NJ- that was a different story. In general people ignore you completely basically except for maybe a hello from a neighbor as they jump in their car to leave....

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by OpinionExperience

I agree, Mainers keep to themselves and get offended if you try to meet your new neighbors. To have someone dead next door for two years and no one smelled the decomposing body?

Disagree. I have gotten to know some of the neighbors, both new and old. But, they also know that we like our privacy, and if the Mrs. and I were to die here I suspect that it could be a long time before anyone realized it. It's not unusual. It seems to me that people are generally willing to respect your wishes, whether it's that you want to be friendly and gregarious, or you want to be left alone.

If you restrict contact with others, then it stands to reason that it might be a while before anyone realizes you've kicked the bucket.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

I can see how that could happen. But it could only happen to someone who really has some kind of emotional or mental issue.

Almost everyone is driven to some kind of interaction with others, either in a church, or a group of some kind. To isolate yourself that much means that you have some kind of issue with how you interact with the world. She was kind of like a bag lady living in a cardboard box on the street. But even there, she would have had connections to other street people.

I can see how this could happen, and it's probably a lot more common that people would think. In the Mobile Home Park I live in here in Florida, it has happened more than a few times. These are older people. Though they are certainly found before 2.5 years. It is usually sometime after the 10th of the month, because lot rent must be paid by then. These are people with no family, and this park is primarily vacant 6 months of the year. No one knows who is here, other than when the snowbirds come back and take over.


As far as emotional or a mental problem, that is not always the case. Some have no peer group where they are at. Believe me that goes on also. I don't know about the woman in the story, what her reasons were for being so alone. I just know it does happen, and I wish it were not so. No one should be all alone when they are sick or need help.