Extraordinary Neighbour

The presence of such extraordinary
people cannot go unnoticed for their
character stands quite out of the ordinary
for the quality of their citizenship. Take
for example the old man down the street
who took such obvious pride in his home
ownership of a house he had lived in for
decades since emigrating from Europe.
At an earlier time in his immigrant status
his then-neighbours marvelled at the care
taken in mowing his perfect green lawn
no foliage left to litter it in the fall, the
walk swept neat and clean when snow
fell. The pride he took second only to
that of his wife polishing windows to a
eye-popping sheen. They loved animals
happy to oblige when someone needed
temporary care for a pet. If a child stepped
on the manicured lawn that was all right
children do such things after all and don't 
we love them all? So when a mysterious
group drove up one day and took him away
the neighbourhood was abuzz with puzzled
anxiety. That lovely old man? What on
earth could it mean? Only later revealed 
his role as an SS guard in a series of Nazi 
era concentration and death camps when 
eyewitnesses still among the living like 
him, came forward at trial to reveal his 
zeal in 'obeying orders' and much beyond
in the annihilation of Jews, Gypsies, Gays
political adversaries of the Third Reich.