Meet the neighbours

Is it not odd how you can live next to people for years and not know them!? I realise that it's a shame that I never really knew the neighbours I have lived next to for the 21st years of my life. Now we are living in Lier for something over two years and we know most of our neighbours and I like it. The guy who lives in the downstairs flat across the street, Erik, we met him because his cat Noa ran away, and now we have a really nice bond with him. I always enjoy chatting to him. The Pakistan family who lives in the same building on the first floor are possibly the friendliest neighbours you can have, Wahid and Tahira and their daughter, whose name accidently slipped my mind. But Wahid will always come and greet us, he'll always try to help us, even if it would mean carrying our shopping whilst he's got somewhere to be. (Of course I don't let him, I'm too proud to ask for his help, but still the fact that he offers means a great deal to me.) And so we know most of the people who live quite close to us and we usually try to have a wee talk to them, to hear how things are going with them, the children, the grandchildren and stuff. And it is nice. I suggest you try that too. ;)