On Neighborhood Watch

(We have just moved to a new neighbourhood. From the first day, one neighbour starts to bother me a lot. When we have just moved in, she rings our doorbell and “invites herself in.” I don’t want to be rude from the start, so I offer her some tea and chocolate.)

Neighbour: “Oh, this tea is so tasty! Which brand is it?”

(I show her the box because it isn’t a common brand here.)

Neighbour: “Ooh, let me take some bags to my family and let them taste the tea!”

(I am a little shocked by her attitude, but I get a small ziplock bag so I can put some tea bags in it for her. Instead, she grabs the ziplock, puts some bags inside for me, and shoves the tea box in her bag.)

Neighbour: “Oh, and if you have some of this chocolate left, I think my son would like it!”

Me: *already pretty annoyed* “Sorry, those were the last pieces. I’m very sorry, but I have many things to do.”

(While walking outside, the neighbour takes a glance into our kitchen and sees another package of the chocolate on the table.)

Neighbour: “Isn’t that the same chocolate?!”

Me: “Well, it is the same brand of chocolate, but this one is with alcohol.”

Neighbour: “Oh, I think it would be nice, too.”

Me: “Yes, but as I said, it is with alcohol.”

Neighbour: “Oh, my son is already 22. He doesn’t mind!”

(She runs into the kitchen, grabs the chocolate, and looks around in the kitchen.)

Neighbour: “Oh, you have many fridge magnets! Can you give me some?!”

Me: “No, sorry. My friends gifted me those!”

Neighbour: “They can gift you some again!”

Me: “No! They are not very cheap, and I will not ask them to send me some again. It would be VERY RUDE.”

(Disappointed, she went home. From that day, I tried to avoid her, but sadly, she became some kind of a stalker. She came over almost every day, calling on the apartment phone — every apartment has a line which can be called for free by everyone in the apartment complex but sadly, you can’t see who calls. It got to the point where I never picked up the phone or opened the door. Even when I was home, I hardly went outside. One day, it suddenly stopped. I wondered why but was also very relieved. A few months later, our new neighbour came over to introduce herself and told me straight away that the stalker neighbour had been bad-mouthing me, saying that I am a very bad and rude person, that I never clean anything, etc., all because I didn’t say hello to her when I was taking a walk in the park. But I am happy; at least she stopped disturbing me!)

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