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Friday, June 04, 2004
Love thy neighbour, but not so much!
This one was narrated to me by my wife (DC) during her update to me on the happenings...
In my absence from India, DC had moved into her parents' house in Mumbai. Now any Mumbai-ite will tell you how it is to live in Mumbai's apartment blocks. Neighbours take the term "Co-operative housing Society" to its literal nadir, esp. if you have stayed in that society for long years! Here's some proof:
1. Seeing that DC has "come back" to her "maaike", one old-couple-neighbours promptly assumed that our family was either "enlarging" (which i assure you it isnt...not at the moment atleast) or , worse, disintegrating (which i assure you it isnt..now or ever). So as good neighbours, they strut their good selves - part curious at the first possibility, & part indignant at the latter - and demand to know what is happening in the society.
Of course, they were completely disappointed to know that the reason was simpler than they thought, and there was really no masala in the story:-)
2. Again recently, DC's folks decided to paint their house after many years.
And that was enough reason for yet another friendly neighbourhood old-couple to assume that DC's younger sister R (who is currently based in UK) was getting engaged! So, out they come enquiring about the "Boy"..whether he's from India or UK, whether err..."We chose the boy, or R herself did the chosing" and such questions!
Whoever wrote of loving thy neighbours, didnt have "Co-operative housing Societies" in mind, I'm sure!
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