This post is in response to ericvancewalton's post
What were your next door neighbors like when you were a child?
My answer:
I smile when I remember how it was in my neighbourhood as a kid. I was the rough and tough guy around there and most of my mates regarded me as their ring leader. I would be the one to initiate very naughty escapades and my name was on the tongue of everyone, especially, Antiga.
Antiga (not sure if that was her real name) was my next door neighbour who was married to Shadrach for many years, but they had no children of their own. I often wondered why she was so mean to children since she was barren, a little kindness on her part would have opened up her womb. She had a caustic tongue alongside, and would call my little guys and I, thieves. No! We were not thieves, just kids looking for mischiefs here and there. So we decided to teach her a lesson.
I was from a respectable family but Dad and Mom were out most of the day, for business. So that meant that we were not under much control, even my aunt who stayed with us then, was ever so busy with house chores that she hardly had time for us.
For her evil tongue and her backbiting, I and my group of eight 'friends' decided to stop swallowing her insults and deal with her mercilessly.
She normally returned home a bit after dark, the husband used to come back very late. She had very poor eyesight and hardly sees in the dark, at least that much I heard her tell the neighbours. So we smeared her stairs with oil and waited for her return.
But unfortunately for us, the husband returned earlier and was able to discover the film of oil on the stairs, we all denied knowing anything about it but when Antiga returned, she pointed her filthy fingers at us and said she was going to call in the police and have us all arrested.
We were all afraid and never bothered her again, until she eventually packed away from our neighbourhood. By then, she had quarrelled with everyone.
I silently whispered, "Good riddance to bad rubbish". As our eyes met through the rear mirror of the vehicle. She seemed so relieved to be leaving while I was so relieved that she was leaving for good.
My other neighbours were calm and didn't really pose any problem.
A few years ago, I heard Antiga had died, childless, and that her husband, Shadrach had fathered four kids outside her matrimonial home. What a pity! If Antiga had shown a little kindness to the kids around her, I believe she would have had her own... If only one!.
Thank you for the challenge.