Last modified: Sunday, March 23, 2008 1:08 AM EDT ZUCK: When friends come calling and calling It's a Tuesday evening and I've just arrived home, exhausted from a long day at the office. With a slice of pizza in one hand and the remote control in the other, I'm ready to sink into my couch and spend a blissful evening watching "Seinfeld" reruns and dribbling cheese down my shirt while letting my brain sit idle for the next few hours. But just as Jerry is about to start into his monologue, a knock comes at my door. Normally I'd get up to answer it but Kevin is already through the door and reaching for a slice of pizza before I can even manage to utter a greeting. His girlfriend Jen is a step behind, gracing us with a trio of fudge sundaes from McDonald's. Kevin and Jen, two of my best friends, happened to move into my neighborhood recently. Not just into my neighborhood, but on the same street. And not just on the same street, but exactly two houses away. We're within yelling distance of one another. We know this because we tried it. Until the poor neighbor in the middle threatened to call our mothers and complain. Ever since they moved in, Kevin and Jen and I have basked in the excitement and convenience of having friends living in such close proximity. We eat dinner together, we go running together, we carpool to the movies, we stop by for no reason, we borrow toilet paper from each other. What's theirs is mine, and what's mine is theirs. We have a great time. What could possibly be the downside of living so close together? It's truly wonderful - they visit all the time. Sometimes they bring food to share for dinner. Or they just eat my pizza. Sometimes they bring wine as well. Or they just deplete my beer supply. Sometimes they call ahead. Or sometimes they just invite themselves in whenever they feel like it, never bothering to call ahead, never asking if I'm busy, barely even knocking on the door, never asking whether I'd prefer to have just a few darn moments to myself, just barging in and expecting me to feed and entertain them all the time. It's truly, truly wonderful. It's a Tuesday evening and with a bowl of mac and cheese in one hand and the remote control in the other, I'm ready to spend a relaxing evening with "The Simpsons." But just as Homer is about to bite into yet another doughnut, a knock comes at my door. Normally I'd get up to answer it but the deadbolt is securely in place, preserving my sacred peace and quiet. I hear a confused scuffling as the doorknob is turned once and then turned again to no avail. I keep silent and sink lower into the couch until the noise goes away. It's not long before I finish my dinner, and then I begin feeling kind of lonely. I drop my dishes into the sink and head for Kevin and Jen's place. Maybe they're having pizza tonight! BILL ZUCK is always more than happy to be a host to his friends - just as long as his favorite episode of "The Simpsons" isn't on. You can reach him at wcz78@yahoo.com.