Strangers with familiar faces

The doorbell startled us when it rang at 10pm. We were slightly alarmed at the time of visit. 

I peered out from the peephole and there, standing outside my house, were the familiar faces of a couple - my upstairs neighbours. Still, I was puzzled at their purpose of visit at this strange hour. 

I opened the door and greeted them. The look of confusion on my face must have been very obvious as they hurriedly explained that they were here to say their goodbyes as they will be shifting out. I quickly brought my MIL out to say her goodbyes. 

MIL has somewhat turned into an elderly ‘celebrity’ with her daily morning walks. With her friendly and affable demeanour, chatting and greeting everyone she meets during her walks, she has quite literally, made many friends along the way. 

Her familiar presence is further amplified as the timing of her walks usually fall within the window period when everyone is  going off to work. 

And I have been most thankful for the way things had panned out because in her terrible fall a year ago, many residents who had recognised her, rushed forward to render assistance. 

One neighbour called the ambulance, others provided tissue in an attempt to stop her bleeding. Another neighbour identified our block and floor and ran up to knock on my (neighbour’s) door in an attempt to contact us. (She knocked the wrong door.) Others hung around to provide assurance. 

Thankfully MIL was lucid enough to provide my number then, which allowed someone to alert me to her fall. 

There was probably talks abuzz that morning on “You know the aunty that walks every morning? She had a bad fall today.”

MIL has since recovered but her stamina has deproved greatly. After months of recuperation, she has also resumed her morning walks, albeit with a walking stick now and for a much shorter distance. 

I guessed that her status got elevated when neighbours saw her appearance again. There was probably talks on “You know the aunty that used to walk every morning? The one that fell? She started walking again.”

When we brought her to the voting station to cast her vote in May this year, she got lauded by another neighbour as we were crossing the road. The neighbour who was pushing her mother on a wheelchair, pointed out my MIL and proclaimed, “See Ma? This aunty fell recently also. But she keep exercising and now she can walk again.” 

I could sense the pride my MIL felt during that moment. 

The neighbours who came to say their goodbyes? We didn’t know much about them. They could have just packed up and left quietly. But instead they took the effort to come down to visit us, and to say their goodbyes in person. 

I was slightly overwhelmed by their gesture and I believe MIL is too. Our neighbourly ties, no matter how shallow or superficial they may seem, had developed over the years into one that was warm and pleasant. And for that, I am grateful. Afterall, good neighbours are hard to come by. 

And so, with each silent smile, each friendly nod, every simple pleasantry exchanged, and all the small talks on weather and grocery runs. All these tiny interactions amalgamated over the years, transformed the lot of us into a neighbourhood of strangers with familiar faces. 

There are many different kinds of goodbyes in the world. This one in particular, was made up of coincidental meets at the lift lobby, nods of acknowledgements, and friendly waves along the walkway. Scaffolded over two decades, one smile and one greeting at a time. It all built up into this heartfelt farewell today. 

Although I didn’t know their names, their age, or exactly which unit they lived in, the knowledge of their move still left a melancholic ache in my heart. The neighbourhood would now be with two less familiar and friendly faces. 

I wish them all the very best in their new abode.