If you have ever lived in flats that have thin walls, then you must know exactly what I was going through just after my new neighbours moved in. For the first week, it was actually very entertaining to sit quietly in my flat, the lights off and listening to them go about their daily, almost predictable routine; the guy would come in, and the girl who normally arrived from work earlier than the guy, would stop humming.

They would mutter a greeting to each other, then for about 40mniutes the only sounds would be dishes in the kitchen, and TV. Then, the guy would start grumbling, and very often, it would end up in a spirited fight. And the guy would beat the woman. She would cry quietly, and then serve supper.

They would eat supper in silence, then no sound till the next day. Strange, but after living in flats, you stop getting surprised at some of the things that happen there.

I missed my previous neighbour, the old nearly deaf lady who moved out to go live with her family. And I got this new noisy pair for replacement. I didn’t see them for the first week, and my mental picture of them was a mean looking guy, and an ugly, unattractive woman with a sweet voice.

Then, I saw her! The nearest word I can use to describe her is "angel”. I looked at her and I couldn’t believe my eyes! Why anyone would beat up a woman who looks like that! I mean, if I had a woman like that, I would only be kissing her and telling her sweet words all day, not beating the living day lights out of her! I can’t even stand the idea of beating any woman, angel like or not.

That guy must be totally blind, and out of his mind to even shout at the woman. With a new frame of mind about my neighbours, the next time I heard them fighting, I considered going over to stop them.

But I didn’t, and that was a good thing too because the next day, I chanced to see the guy; the guy is built like a bull! I think he could punch a hole right through a concrete wall, and not even get bruised.

So, as quickly as I had formed the thought of interrupting them, I quickly killed down the thought; let the man and the woman sort out their differences their own way, it was really none of my business.

But then, I couldn’t get that woman out of my mind; the way she looked at me with those sad eyes, and that sad little smile. Now I had a face to put to that voice I heard singing so happily and sweetly before the guy came home.

And I would close  my eyes, and let my mind wander to what I  knew was pure madness; she  as my woman, she singing to me. And I knew that whatever that guy gave her to keep her around, I could definitely give her much more. Well, I wasn’t rich, but I had a loving heart. Carole had taught me to value and appreciate women. 

So, that’s how I changed from ignoring their fights to actually getting concerned and mad at them. And that girl; why couldn’t she get out of my mind and let me be? Didn’t i have enough personal issues to sort out, without adding more trouble?

The other day, she came knocking on my door. I opened it, thinking it was one of those neighbourhood boys, and found her instead. And I lost my   tongue for a few moments.

But then, she smiled her sad little smile, and said she had just come to say hello to me, her neighbour. She apologized for taking so long to come and greet me. Then she said something else, which I didn’t hear because I was busy staring at the beauty spot on her left cheek.

Then she said it again, and I heard; she wanted to know where the shops were. Being the gentleman that I am, I not only directed her, but also offered to walk her there. This time, I didn’t start the conversation, she did.

So I had to talk back. And in those fifteen minutes it took us to go to the shops and back, I knew that my life wasn’t going to be the same; this girl had come in, I had to deal with her. But along with her came her crazy, mean-spirited boyfriend, or husband or whatever she called him!

Ends