I Wish the Trees Were Back
I miss the jungle outside of my bedroom windows that separated my apartment from the rows of double-storey houses up the hill. They have now been replaced by a highway.
My apartment is at the bottom of the hill. Now that the trees are gone, I feel like the row of houses is 10 times nearer than before. If I have friends staying in any of the houses, I could just wave and shout for them from my room.
So there goes my precious privacy. I now have to be fully clothed whileworking walking around the house.
The area I'm staying in used to be a very quiet yet very near to city centre suburb. Now the place is a lot busier. Noise makes me jumpy nowadays. Suddenly, I feel like so many people are screaming and shouting and quarrelling around here. Even the sound of a cab pulling over at 4 in the morning wakes me up. I hope sleep will be at least manageable when they open the highway.
I was swamped with things today. So I don't know why I had to stop my car and tell my Arab teen neighbour not to allow his three younger brothers to cycle and run around in the driveway. (They have been playing there EVERY DAY, by the way.) But I swear I was polite. I even waved and smiled at his toddler brother. Not long after, I saw them ride their bicycles to the nearby playground.
Sigh. I should have just driven slowly and let them play wherever they want. The driveway IS THEIR FAVOURITE PLACE. All of the other neighbours understand that, why can't I? What is safety, anyway, compared to joy.
I'll no longer be that mysterious and cool neighbour who always minds her own business. I'm now the nosy, grumpy neighbour who takes away small children's right to happiness. Maybe they will run away the next time they see me.
My apartment is at the bottom of the hill. Now that the trees are gone, I feel like the row of houses is 10 times nearer than before. If I have friends staying in any of the houses, I could just wave and shout for them from my room.
So there goes my precious privacy. I now have to be fully clothed while
The area I'm staying in used to be a very quiet yet very near to city centre suburb. Now the place is a lot busier. Noise makes me jumpy nowadays. Suddenly, I feel like so many people are screaming and shouting and quarrelling around here. Even the sound of a cab pulling over at 4 in the morning wakes me up. I hope sleep will be at least manageable when they open the highway.
I was swamped with things today. So I don't know why I had to stop my car and tell my Arab teen neighbour not to allow his three younger brothers to cycle and run around in the driveway. (They have been playing there EVERY DAY, by the way.) But I swear I was polite. I even waved and smiled at his toddler brother. Not long after, I saw them ride their bicycles to the nearby playground.
Sigh. I should have just driven slowly and let them play wherever they want. The driveway IS THEIR FAVOURITE PLACE. All of the other neighbours understand that, why can't I? What is safety, anyway, compared to joy.
I'll no longer be that mysterious and cool neighbour who always minds her own business. I'm now the nosy, grumpy neighbour who takes away small children's right to happiness. Maybe they will run away the next time they see me.
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