An Unexpected Guest
Back in the early days of mobiles, my wife and I were newlyweds just settling into our new home. The flats were absolutely gorgeous, layouts that made you go Wow! We adored everything about the placewell, except the neighbours on our landing, who turned out to be rather disagreeable. I was young, but ran a tight ship at work in a demanding role, used to being treated with respect. My wife teasingly called me Mr. William as if we were in the office rather than at home.
One morning, stepping out our door, I bumped into our new neighbour. Not a hello, not a goodbye from her. Well, I decided Id do the same! I stuck my nose in the air and made a point of avoiding them at every turn.
The time came for our housewarming party. We invited all our friends and family to celebrate, and admittedly the festivities ran on a bit longer than expected. Somewhere around half eleven on a Saturday night, our neighbour rapped on the door. I answered, and he had the nerve to tell me it was getting late! Him, telling me! I thought, almost laughing. He even tried to use his wifes headache as an excuse. Cheek! I was so riled up I stopped even glancing their way, even if we left or entered at the same time. But my wife, with her ever-patient heart, kept right on greeting them. Not meI was determined theyd learn the right way to behave around polite folk. Stubborn, proud, a proper grump.
For a while, we hardly crossed paths. But one blustery, snowy evening as we arrived home, we found a young woman near the landing doors. Relief washed over her face as she spotted us. Im Lucy, your neighbours sister. Ive come from miles away and have been waiting for hours for someone to let me in. Could I just wait in the corridor? Its freezing in the stairwell. Outside, the wind was howling, snow bending the trees. We invited her inside. Trying to put on my authoritative air, I asked, Youre not from round here, then? Wheres your luggage? She explained shed left it at the station, expecting her brother-in-law to help fetch it tomorrow since the weather made dragging it alone impossible.
Back inside, I said to my wife, If they havent met their own family in a storm like this, maybe shes not who she says she is! What if shes up to no good, and weve let her in? Ever the sceptic, unable to shake my doubts.
As we sat down for supper, I couldnt stop fretting about the stranger outside our door. My wife called me to the table, but I couldnt eat a bite. I kept peering out the peephole; there she sat, hunched against the cold. My wife suggested inviting her in for dinner, but I protested, Do we really know who she is? However, I felt sorry for her and brought her a chair for the corridor instead. Annoyed, I grilled her, Why didnt your sister meet you? She replied, I wanted to surprise her! Shes nearly due any day now, having a tough time with the pregnancy, so Ive come to help. I listened with a frown. Was our neighbour pregnant? I hadnt noticed!
Every five minutes I checked on her, pacing to the front door and peeking through the spyhole. There she sat, patient as ever. Soon my wife fell asleep, but I just lay there, mind racing. Coming all this way in a storm must have been exhausting.
Before I knew it, it was nearly midnight. I leapt up, threw on my dressing gown, and stomped into the corridor. Right. Thats it! Come on inside, youll stay with us tonight! She was both surprised and grateful, and tried to protest out of embarrassment, but I insisted. I handed her a dressing gown and towel and pointed her to the bathroom. Once shed had a wash, I made sure she ate and then set up the guest room. Sleep well, I said. I like to think I can be thoughtfulwhen I want to be.
I scribbled a note for our neighbours: Your sister is safe with us. Do not disturb before 6am.
At eight in the morning, there was a knock. I opened the door to a beaming neighbourhis wife had given birth to a baby boy during the snowy night! Can you believe it? Weve got a son! The happiness just bubbled over, and for a moment their joy felt like my own. It was a strange, wonderful feelingsomething special had happened.
Mother and baby were home soon after, and our neighbour absolutely glowed with gratitude for looking after her sister that night.
We all think we know ourselves and others so wellquick to judge, quick to argue or take offence. But there comes a time when anger melts away, and you realise life can only be lived with an open heart. That night, it was an unexpected guest who showed me just that.
