Hey there,
Your question states: <span>What role did "long held hatreds of neighbors have in the witch-hunt?"
His role was to send messages to other people. I believe that is how it went.
Hope this helps</span>
Explanation:
Nick said it because of his previous experiences which were not so easy to handle and that have transformed his thoughts so much that he considered that his future would be same as his past. He even didnt remember his birthday, indicating that his mind is well occupied by the menacing experiences and thoughts. Since he has turned thirty so now people think its time to settle but for Nick its still a road of struggle ahead of him
