430 Neighbor

Living in large city people tend to be luck of getting together, or even getting to know their neighbors. It's true and the same with me.

But it's also true sometimes people happen to know their neighbors are probably, simply good friends. 

Couple of minutes ago a man living in the same floor of the apartment visited me and said he was leaving. We never talked before. I once knew that he might be a terrible smoker (judging from heavy smell of cigarette when I saw he was just entering his room one day.) At another time I heard he was making noise in almost scratching the floor in order to shovel snow away. It's natural to say neither of the scene made his impression better. But he in person was a polite, decent man. 

Back in years, just after the terrible earthquake hit us, one night I felt quite a big aftershock. Surprised, I almost rushed to the door (which was the worst thing when earth was shaking), and then hesitated a moment in front of the door. Then I heard the voice of my neighbors across the hall. They were just the same as me, frightened but knowing what to do in the end. Nothing calmed me down better than their existence at the nervous moment.

I feel once again that when your neighbor leaves you notice the possible value of mixing with neighbors.