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This is some pleasant coincidence. Only this morning, a pal and I were discussing how our neighborhood is now and how it was while we were kids. I somehow even stumbled on someone's post in regards to something like this.
In that post, the author shared a story about how a neighbor had died in the room in his compound and it took a terrible stench that was spreading around the compound for them to finally alert authorities, burst into the house to find and takeaway the burst and rotting body. The picture of this is gruesome, and I really apologize for putting you through this mental torture, but we move....
I went down the comment section to read up and find some other people who had stories to share. One talked about hearing a scream come from her neighbours flat and after contemplating going in to or not, finally made her way into the neighbours flat, heating cries, she found her way to the woman's bathroom where she was sprawled out on the floor in a pool of her own blood. Crying. She was pregnant. Now, the interesting thing about this particular tale was that, according to this commenter, they all usually minded their business in their compound. They never spoke. Only greeted(if they even did). So, it was strictly mind your business.
It made me think about a lot of things, but it particularly cast my mind back to my neighborhood growing up. Back then, people did not mind their business. Back then, once it was a certain time in the morning and a neighbour hadn't come out of their room or wasn't seem anywhere, someone would go on to knock on their door with whatever excuse they could come up with. It was like a communal type of living, if I could call it that. People looked out for each other. In most compounds, everyone pretty much knew the other's itinerary, maybe not down to the details. But say, you pass by a place every day at a certain time, the day you don't, someone would notice and check on you. Most people said it was doing too much and poke-nosing. At some point, I may have agreed.
But growing up and looking back, it helped us. It saved us. It was some sort of familial energy. It fostered unity and made us our brother's keepers. Then, it was no rare sight to see kids hanging out with other kids, not just in their compounds but even in the entire neighborhood. You could leave your kids at home and be certain a kind neighbor would have their watchful eyes on them. It was thar good. Things have changed a lot in present society.
My current house here in school, I think that bond exists to sone degree. I'm not the chatty neighbor. I've never even sat out to chat with anyone before. Regardless, due to how very few we are, I've realized that people look out for me here and that it's safe here and sure, I can trust them with my stuff. Cause, yeah, we could all leave our doors open without fear and knowing that the other would lookout for it. So, that's fair, yeah?
Thanks for gracing this post
Greetings!
