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.
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
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
From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi
Pushpesh Pant, one of India’s pre-eminent food writers, is back with a comprehensive food history of the capital.
Who Wants Coffee?
It’s bitter—but beloved around the world
Prevent The Pain Of Shingles
You don't have to suffer, as long as you take two important steps
The Best And Worst Diets For Your Heart
Dozens of diets are touted as ‘best’, but it’s easy to lose track of the fact that healthy eating needs to be about overall wellness, not just weight loss.
ME & MY SHELF
Journalist Sopan Joshi has worked in a science and environment framework for nearly three decades. His book Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango (Aleph Book Company) synthesizes the sensory appeal of India's favourite fruit with its elaborate cultural roots and natural history. He writes in English and Hindi.
SWITCHED
In 1962, nurses at a small Canadian hospital sent home two women with the wrong babies. Then, 50 years later, their children discovered the shocking mistake.
ECHOES OF THE PAST
A VISIT TO THE ANCIENT BARABAR CAVES IN BIHAR REVEALS A SURPRISING CONNECTION TO A LITERARY CLASSIC
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honour the many men who helped her survive her childhood
Fiction's Foresight
British-Bangladeshi author Manzu Islam's works reveal startling parallels to recent political upheavals in Bangladesh, begging the question: Besides helping us make sense of our world, can stories also offer a glimpse into the future?
It Happens ONLY IN INDIA
The Divine Defence Picture this: A tractor in Rajasthan‘s Banswara district,a group of loan agents closing in to seize it and the defaulting farmer and his family standing by.