We all have neighbors, and those relationships can sometimes be tricky. But one small extension cord ended up teaching me a life-changing lesson about kindness, community, and the importance of opening up when times get tough.
It all began when I discovered an electrical lead running straight from my neighbor Ron’s garage into a socket on the outside wall of my house. I was stunned.
I marched right over and confronted him.
“That’s my power you’re taking,” I said sharply. “It’s running on my meter.”
Ron just chuckled. “C’mon, it’s only pennies,” he said.
But to me, it wasn’t about pennies. It felt like stealing. So, I locked the outlet with a cover to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.
The next morning, I found a note pushed through my door. It read: “You’re colder than your electricity, mate.”
At first, I was furious. Then confused. But later, a strange guilt crept in. That word “mate” stung. We used to be friends—or at least neighbors who looked out for each other.
Ron’s Hidden Struggle
Ron had lived next door for nearly a decade. Before his wife passed away from cancer, we’d shared barbecues, borrowed tools, and swapped stories over the fence. But after her death, Ron pulled away. He buried himself in his garage, fixing old radios and bikes, while shutting out the world.
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