Neighbours are one category of people who can either be a blessing or a curse. Since one cannot choose one’s neighbours, one can only regard it as a matter of luck to have neighbours who confirm to one’s standards of ‘good neighbourliness’.

Talking about myself, I would say that our neighbours are a mixed blessing for us. They can be very irritating at times, and at other times they can be very pleasant.

There are several ways in which they make themselves unpleasant. For instance, the family on the right side of our house owns two cars, and they seem to take great pleasure in parking their vehicles right in front of our gate. If we want to take out our car or even my bike, we have to invariably call them to shift their car. Soon after we have driven out, they would promptly park their car once again at the same spot. As a result, when our car has to be reparked, we have to blow the horn really loud till they come out once more to shift their vehicle. Our polite expressions of disapproval have either fallen on deaf ears or are jokingly set aside.

Another trait of theirs which we find most annoying is the unending curiosity about everything that is happening at our house. They seem to be more interested in what is going on in our house than in theirs! If there is a visiter, they would like to know who has come to meet and why, and at the same time convey their own impression of him by looking at his appearance. They know exactly the number of times our various relatives visit our place. My parents dare not to have a loud disagreement on any issue, because my dear neighbours are sure to hear it and pass it on to the neighbours down the lane in addition to their own comments. One can very well imagine what a monor argument would be blown into by the time it reached the end of the row of houses!

Another nuisance that we have to put up with is their furious dog who barks day in and day out and thinks a particular patch near our gate just the perfect place for its excreta. Confronting them with this is a useless exercise because, they always keep denying that it is the doing of their dog.

Then it is their love of music which can drive a sane man crazy. They believe, music can only be enjoyed when it is played at full volume and that too all through the day.

Them there are the mischievous little children who live down the lane, whose greatest joy of life is to ring the calling bell and run away. Sometimes we do not respond to the bell thinking that it is a prank, and later find a guest waiting outside.

These are some of the inconveniences that we have to put up with however, our neighbours are not totally a curse. There have been times when they have prooved to be a real blessing. There was the time when I had met with an accident on the road and reached home well past midnight. We called them on the phone and they fetched a doctor, and they were again there early in the morning to look me up and bring the medicines the doctor had prescribed in the middle of the night.

Another way in which I find them a great help is when there is no one at home. Then either I go over to their house, or they come down to our house to give me company. At times I have taken food and even slept at their house when there was no one at my place, this of course when I was small.

Yet again, the lady next door bakes really good cakes and cookies, and she often sends over generous helpings of these for us. Of course, we also reciprocate in the same manner when my mother prepares something special.

Yet another advantage is that we often exchange books, CDs and DVDs with our neighbours. Since we love reading and also visit different public libraries, we have a good time reading and exchanging ideas on various topics.

There have been times of sorrow, for instance when my grand father passed away. All of them gathered to help in important little ways till our relatives arrived. They helped to inform various friends and relatives, posted the cards and helped in the preparation of funeral and other rituals. No doubt, neighbours in need are great friends indeed.

There have been good times as well when the neighbours have given us good company. Not only company, they have also been of great help. They have been with us on our birthdays, marriages and other ceremonies. They have given us company when we celebrated Durga Puja, Dipawali and Holi. They have cheered for us during our successes and achievements.

Thus, our neighbours can be the most comforting of people, and also the most annoying. Our neighbours can be most helpful at times and at other times the most troublesome. They can be a pleasure and also a pain. On the whole, however, I would say they do make our life more interesting and worth living.

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