They dry our tears, watch over our children and make life better. Here, 15 remarkable true stories of perfect neighbours—our family next door
Our Extended Family
I rang my neighbour’s doorbell with a small request recently, for her to keep my flat keys for a couple of hours. My husband had forgotten to carry his set, and I would be at work when he returned. As I saw her quickly run in her head possible excuses she could offer, I retreated with whatever grace I could manage. Later, I remembered times when neighbours, even in big cities, would open doors with big smiles.
It’s late Sunday morning in springtime Thimphu, Bhutan, and the peach blossoms look supremely content, while I start feeling hungry reading Enid Blyton’s description of a picnic lunch. When you’re 10, even reading about hard-boiled eggs can do that. Suddenly, beyond the peach trees, I see a figure heading towards our gate. It’s Ms Chhetri who lives across the road. I can see she’s holding a tray: There’s a plate of crackers, topped with cheese and scoops of marmalade. There’s also a jug of orange squash. “I thought these would feel nice sitting in the sun,” she says with a big smile as she places the tray on my lap. How could she read my mind?
Ms Chhetri had this way of popping over with piping hot parathas and sabzi for breakfast on Sunday mornings when the parents were too tired to face the world with three hungry children. When we were going out of town, she always met us with a packet of her perfectly flaky parathas. And the doorbell would ring, 15 minutes after we’d returned, with Ms Chhetri holding a tray of hot tea and snacks.
There was a sense of your neighbour being extended family, even through bad times. Like when Ms Chhetri received the telegram of her mother’s death and could only leave for her hometown the next morning. I remember spending the night with her, holding her as she wept. I don’t know if it helped—I was only 11—but I wished I could bring comfort in her moment of grief.
Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
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Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BOOKS
Books review
STUDIO - Off Lamington Road by Gieve Patel
Oil on Canvas, 54 x 88 in
NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE
FOODS THAT FIGHT DEMENTIA
TO HELL AND BACK
The Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan is known as the Gates of Hell. I stood on its edge - and lived to tell the tale
THE SNAKE CHARMERS
Invasive Burmese pythons are squeezing the life out of Florida's vast Everglades. An unlikely sisterhood is taking them on
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Just Sit Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, I desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
Allow Me to Mansplain...
If there's one thing we know, it's this: We're a nation of know-it-alls
THE BITTER TRUTH ABOUT SUGAR (AND SUGAR SUBSTITUTES!)
It's no secret that we have a serious addiction. Here's how to cut back on the sweet stuff, once and for all.