+ Neighbours | Act One

My apartment with ironic "Social Responsibility Carnival" banner

For the last ten years we have lived here in this Tampines block with no major problems with our apartment nor our neighbours. We love this place.

Since our cluster of blocks of flats were newly built and the families were first owners when we all moved in, we see many of our neighbours moved out after the five years eligibility to sell their flats after stipulated five years by HDB.

It was a standard routine for many Singaporeans to cash in on the sale. One neighbour right at the extreme end to the left of our home, sold his 5-room flat for S$365,000.00 from about S$150,000.00 initial purchase from HDB.

We could cash-in too, but we love our home and its amenities, but most importantly our next door neighbour, who is very good.

Several new neighbours came and went and now it all seems that the new neighbours are here to stay. Most are young couples, but with them, came one with a very bad habit!

Bad I mean, not as civil-minded or neighbourly enough, rather selfish, if I can put it nicely.

ACT ONE.

I remembered my wife called me to inform that a teenage boy came to our home to borrow our aluminum ladder. My wife gave him but was uncertain which new neighbour he was, as there were two who were renovating their houses simultaneously then.

Did not think much about it then, but it was a bit strange that they did not return the ladder after a week of painting.

It was irritating that they did not return it after two weeks.

Then it was outrageously insensitive of them that they did not return it after two months!

After the fourth month, I had to go to these two homes to force myself to ask for my ladder back since I had to change the ceiling lights in my kitchen. Both had moved and settled-in more than a two months.

Not knowing which of the two homes, I went to the nearest one first. Trying to keep my frustration and disgust aside, I introduced myself and ask for my ladder if they had borrowed it.

The man said it was not them, but suggested their next door neighbour instead, who was doing the house painting themselves. He on the other hand, had their contractor painted their home during the renovation.

It was an embarrassing moment for me to actually ask him such question when I should have given him customary hellos and introduction. I felt like accusing them of being irresponsible for not returning what they borrowed. I think they felt that too.

Funny how it felt. You let person borrow your stuff, and ended up feeling guilty asking for your stuff back, as if you are now the one borrowing!

I believe they took offence because they acted as if they do not know us when we were in the same lift together. I can understand that.

I told my wife that we should forget about it and just buy ourselves another ladder.

We would not want the risk of asking the next one and ended up being enemies like the first neighbour. We had no way of identifying the teenage boy since he did not live here, but came to help out his relative paint the house.

So, we had to stack a few books onto a chair to change the lights, with my wife holding my legs for stability.

That was that. Or so we thought!

Until one day, the second neighbour came to our home to return the ladder, after they moved-in more than six months later! The first neighbour must have told him or something to that effect.

They were newly weds in their late twenties or early thirties. They introduced themselves to us and thanked us for the ladder. Could not remember if they apologized for keeping the ladder all that time without feeling guilty.

Finally, that was that! Or so I thought.

Then came the chronic irritables. Sigh.