Friday 22 May 2009

A ride

My dear old companion, my teenage car needed a break (actually a brake fix) and was not available yesterday or today. So I asked my colleague if I could join her on her way to school and of course she said yes. She always does. So does everyone else, including me in similar cases.

Our block of flats is a different story. There are some 19 flats here. I don't always know who lives in them. Some people come and go and have been here for months before I notice them or are absent for just as long before I miss them. There's this man who found another life companion - no not a car, another woman, before I noticed the first one left. Married? Divorced? Who knows. I don't care, really.

When I took my kids to school in my car, it was quite common that I took one and the neighbours took theirs and the other neighbours' kids were taken there by heir grandpa or something. From the same car park to the same school, three or four kids and about the same number of cars.
When we moved here some sixteen years ago, it actually took me about two months to meet my neighbours and actually talk to them. It didn't happen until some sunny days lured the kids out and their mums joined them. I must tell you, those two months didn't feel nice. Now I talk to some of them sometimes and it makes me feel more at home. But still: when someone asks me if this and this person lives at this address and I don't know, it feels... well... not nice.

Let me go back to my ride to school. I left home a bit earlier as I was going to walk for about 10 or 15 minutes. My colleague offered to fetch me, but I told her I could use this walk - it was just right to wake me up.

Suddenly, this woman, a mother of two lively kids from two floors above us, stopped her car and offered me a lift.

I knew I would be too early and would have to wait. I wouldn't have my morning walk. But I just couldn't refuse because I found it so nice! And it was. She's much like me, I thought - an ordinary person, not above others. We chatted nicely in those minutes.

I sat on a bench in front of my co-worker's block with a book, but still thinking about it: She definitely made my morning so much nicer!

14 comments:

  1. It always takes ages to get to know neighbours, doesn't it? So glad that you're getting to know some nice ones...

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  2. This lady hasn't been here for so long. Yes, she's nice. So is the one living just below us who is moving out soon and the 73-year-old lady right above us. Then there are many I've hardly got to know in these years and one who isn't happy if she doesn't have a problem with everyone else.

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  3. It can take so long to meet neighbours properly, and I'm really bad at making the effort - after a long day at work it is the last thing I want to do and on the wknd everyone does their own thing. But I would like to make more effort.

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  4. I don't think I should make more effort - it's more about the general atmosphere in here.

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  5. It's the same for me, Minka, it takes time for me to get acquainted with people. Some think I am snooty. I am not at all; I just feel I am intruding, so I don't usually make the first moves when it comes to meeting others. I am somewhat of a private type person, so I am not always attracted to personalities that are loud and really outgoing. I can tell, I would love being your friend! It is a shame we do not live as neighbors. It's wonderful this 'new' friend offered you a ride. Sometimes a friendly gesture is worth more than another person can know. Hope you have many more happy times like this!

    And btw, it was no problem at all with the mix up. I thought it was nice. I owe your daughter a reply. I just have not had time to be on the computer much the past few days. I usually do it this way, stop at the computer for a few minutes, check out one or two blogs, then I have to move on for a while and come back later.

    Have a wonderful day! You're a special woman! I can feel it.

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  6. I'm not sure this is the case with me - I like talking, I have no problem talking to people, I sooner say too much than to little. This is the second building of this kind and in the first one it was completely different - we always said something to each other when we met, asked each other how they were and so on.

    I must not complain, though. It's okay: there are a few very nice people around and who says I have to know everything and everyone?

    Thanks for all your nice words! I wish you a wonderful day, too!

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  7. I have to admit it takes me awhile to meet the neighbors when I have moved in the past. I'm not sure why. I'm glad you are having a good time with it now.

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  8. Hi, Teri! Yes, it's fine really. Still, it was nice.

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  9. When I actually go outside - which isn't enough! - I usually meet up with a few neighbors. We have a yearly summer block party where we get to meet new neighbors and visit with those that we don't see often. We all bring a dish to pass and something to drink and it's a great time!

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  10. That sounds great! What a smart thing to do!

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  11. We only know the couple across the street, whose children are grown and gone, as ours are. We share interests and politics, and even went to dinner - once. We're all so busy! But the folks in the neighborhood who walk dogs in front of each others' houses always seem friendly, and will stop to chat (if the barking allows it).

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  12. When I moved here to town I wanted to try to make friends. So I baked some cookies, and packaged them up into 7 packages of 1 doz cookies each. I then went to my first neighbors house, introduced myself and gave her the cookies. We were quite friendly and nice to each other at first, until I started getting phone calls from the landlords about being too loud. The last straw came when she went to the caretaker who was mowing the lawn at the time, and complained about noises coming from my apartment. The caretaker came to check things out and just walked in. My kids and I were out on a bike ride so there was no one home and we weren't going to be gone long so I didn't lock the door. When we got home, the caretaker was just coming out of my place and I asked what was going on. He explained it to me and apologized for entering my house unlawfully. Man was I pissed!

    Only one of those other tennants here proved to actually be worth befriending and she's unfortunately moved. It turned out that the first tennant I had met was friends with my ex's new wife and was doing her damndest to get me evicted, thankfully for me, it backfired on her, she's the one who had to move. Now I don't know any of the other tennants, I keep to myself and stay away from all the drama that goes on outside my home.

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  13. Oh, Skye! This sounds awful... No, i must say, it's still better in our building, just not as cosy as was used to from the one I came from. hope you're fine - I guess you find friends elsewhere...

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  14. Mary Ellen, dogs must chat too, don't you think?

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