A GOOD NEIGHBOUR...

We can choose a good house to live in. But we cannot choose our neighbors. It is a great blessing to have a good neighbor. If the neighbors are otherwise, it becomes hell. Generally it is found that if the parents are good, the children are good too. Neighbors may be good, bad or indifferent.
We live in a busy locality. The streets are narrow and the houses are mostly multistoried. That accounts for the good number of neighbors. Our next door neighbor is a workman belonging to lower middle class. He works painstakingly. He is a workaholic and yet cannot make the ends meet. His working hours are from early morning right up to sunset by which time he calls it a day. His wife is good natured and is busy doing something or the other. It is owing to this factor that the neighbors are not able to see much of this quiet couple.
Our next door neighbor to the right is a rich family the Chaurasias. This family is so business-minded that everything concerning them is related to money. The businessman is away the whole day and has crooked looks. His wife is not much educated and is short-tempered. Any little things lead to quarrel with them. The children are a spoilt lot. That is why the neighboring people keep this affluent family at arms length.
In the ground floor of the building, lives the Sharma family. Mr. Sharma works in the Central Secretariat. He is a thorough gentleman. And gentle is his wife too. Sharma get along smoothly with the people of the neighborhoods. They help others in times of need, and everyone is ready to run errands for them. They deserve the goodwill of all.
Opposite our house lives a Managing Director of a private limited company. He has a grown-up daughter and son. His wife is a teacher. The MD owing to fraud in dealings is now behind bars. Just on the other side of the street lives the Chari family. He is a man of letters and a teacher. Quite a scholarly person. He is a prolific writer. He has a genial wife. Whenever there is time, our family spends time with them in the evenings. The exchange of ideas on interior decoration and allied topics is so helpful. They are always at the giving end, rather than asking for anything. Recently, Mr. Chari gave me a story book to read. He asked me to read story books one by one.

Chari has a high civic sense. They never do any thing which might displease or annoy their neighbors. They are invited to every function. Mrs. Chari is very friendly with my mother and they pass time together. Mr. Chari and my father are usually together in the evenings. On Sundays and festive occasions the celebrations are on a joint basis. How lucky indeed we are to have Chari as our neighbor. They are verily leaders of the neighborhood and are always in the forefront in matters of residents' welfare.