Much hand wringing has come about as the result of the discovery, eight years after her death, of the body of Natalie Wood lying on the floor of her house. Apparently this reflects how heartless our society has become, or something, with suggestions that more should be done to ensure that such things don't happen again.

Yet I can't help wondering what would actually be achieved. There is, I suppose, sometimes, a narrow window of opportunity, during which an incapacitated person might be discovered still alive, and saved. But it is narrow, and absent some proactive step on the part of the person to protect themselves, there little short of persistent busy-bodying that would be of benefit. Certainly noticing that rates haven't been paid, or Centerlink benefits not spent, would do little more than ensure that the corpse is found sooner rather than later.

The busy-bodying aspect concerns me. If a person wants to live the life of a recluse, then why shouldn't they? In particular, they shouldn't have to put up with frequent intrusions by people who think they're being good citizens, but are in fact just sticking their noses in where they're not wanted. If there's public concern about people being incapacitated and unable to obtain help, then let the public finance technological solutions. But otherwise, let them keep their beaks to themselves.

the dead neither feel the heat nor the cold

grieve not for me...
who now glory in the heavens

but grieve for thyselves...
ye mortals thinking a man is his flesh

add not the burden's of the dead
she has long since broken here silence
where it matters...in the wholly spirit realms

set her free now
remove the traces of her flesh
that can only install guilt now..[dont add to my burden
dont drag me back to this hell you call reality]

im free
stop thinking about me
think more about the things you can change

there is no guilt
except for that we think we failed to do
but se your here[there]..especially..because there[here]
you are allowed to fail..allowed to ignore..if this is your choice

i long ago stopped ignoring others

now arround me
are only my others

leave her be
dont cleave her present spirit being
to the dead meat

no one did care for..
when"it"alone..seemed alive
and my spirit..seemed dead

who have you loved today
love life..cause it never ends*

Dear Sylvia Elise,

I totally disagree with you on this. Living the life of a recluse is not a choice most elderly people make. They do so for a variety of reasons be they financial, have no family, or in the worst case - don't have the mental capacity to make those sort of decisions for themselves. We should care about our neighbours, and keep an eye out for each other. Being left in privacy is one thing, but being neglected is quite another - and no one should be left to die without
anyone giving a damn and their body being found years later - that in my opinion at least - is simply wrong.

Compassionate as always, Lexi. But unrealistic in this instance.

>>We should care about our neighbours, and keep an eye out for each other<<

As it happens, I know the area well. It is a street whose start point is across the road from Central Station in Sydney. By any definition, an "inner-city" dwelling.

But the street itself is not even residential - the vast majority of properties are commercial premises, mostly in the "garment trade". If I remember that part of the street correctly, there are clothing businesses right next door, and opposite.

We are a long way from an area where you find neighbours chatting across the fence in the back yard. Or even where neighbours even know each other. It is entirely possible in this specific case that the people next door didn't share a language with our sadly departed lady.

You may be right, in that this is a less satisfactory way to live than yarning over the fence while hanging up the washing. But in the end we each have a choice, and if we choose to live anonymously in the middle of a big city, we should not expect the world to worry itself about us too much.

Dear Pericles,

I realize that city living is impersonal and often heartless. My question would be - where were her children (if she had any) or any family in this instance? Were there any social welfare groups that knew of this lady's existence? Even in a big city like Sydney was there any one at all who cared that this elderly woman was there alone? Surely even in a big city there must be a better way to deal with problems like these? Where are the salvos, religious organisations, or even council staff ("Meals on Wheels") or volunteers - was this her own property or was she renting? Someone surely knew she was there - but it seems nobody cared enough to make any sort of difference. And they should have. That as I said is my opinion and I'm sticking to it in this case.

Lexi, I'm pretty certain she wasn't renting. I can't remember the exact words now, but something in the news story made me think she owned the property. I kind of think that unless she had some sort of ongoing arrangement with the bank and a potential landlord/lady, e.g direct debit, I doubt she could have gone 8 years without the owner getting cranky. Even then, I find it hard to believe the council didn't want to know why the rates weren't being paid. If I fail to pay my rates, I cop interest in very short order and if that's not paid in sufficient time, the debt collectors are called in. But once again, even the rates may have been direct debited.