My lovely neighbours are moving away

Why do good people always leave?


Learned from my mother these past few days that our next door neighbouring family are moving away to another state.

Actually, I kept on wishing that it was only a temporary thing and that they'd settle here in this village eventually. However, today, they invited us to an 'open house' dinner at their home in the spirit of Eid Mubarak and it finally struck on me that they really are moving away for good.

I feel sad as they (husband, wife and a kid) are among the best people you can have as your neighbours. How many, in these day and age, can claim to having great neighbours anymore?

My reasons for missing them:

1. Both husband and wife are hardworking and friendly people.
2. The husband is very handy when it comes to carpentry and domestic construction work
3. The wife is a great cook and always let us have some of the dishes or delicacies she makes to sell in front of their house. She gives them free for us of course.
4. My nephews will lose having a 'big brother' role in their young son who is very well-behaved and has the knack of remembering the name of every elderly man or woman in our village.
5. Their chatty banters with my parents. This couple are hilarious.
6. Their yearly Eid Mubarak 'open house'.
7. Their generosity.
8. Their readiness and willingness to help looking after our home when we're away.
9. Their sincerity.
10. Their positive attitude towards life in times of hardship and family ordeals.

Why are they leaving?

1. The hubby has a new project of rearing deers on a piece of land in the forest of the state of Pahang (the biggest state in Peninsula Malaysia).
2. Their greedy immediate relatives are chasing after their beautiful house and the land it sits on.

What?

Yes, you read that right.

The wife is an adopted daughter of a not-so-distant uncle of mine. Before his death, he changed the ownership of the land next to my parents' home to her because she was the dutiful daughter who had taken good care of her adoptive parents and their two disabled children. The immediate family apparently aren't too happy because she's an 'outsider'. So, not wanting to cause further commotion, she and hubby choose to move away despite the properties being rightfully and legally hers.

How sad is that?

My lovely neighbours are leaving because of a bunch of greedy old people. In fact, just the word 'old' is an understatement. It's more like 'the-graves-are-already-calling-out-your-names' kind of old! Yet, these people still are lusting after material things which they can't bring into the graves with them anyway.

The family may be packing their final suitcase in November.

To sister M, brother S and little bro D, hope to see you guys again. This is not goodbye.