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You never know who might be listening

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You never know who might be listening

05.26.04 (7:46 am) [edit]

I live on a small cobbled street. There are no pavements, so when you go through the front door you’re on the road which is just wide enough to drive a small car down. I live very close to my neighbours. With the warmer weather we’re all living with our windows open, so we can all hear each others day to day living. I like that. It still makes me smile when I hear a conversation going on between two people in two different houses. However, I heard something this morning which has made me feel really sad. My Spanish isn’t that good, but it’s OK. I’ve worked hard at learning the language, it didn’t come easily. I didn’t want to live in a Brit ghetto, I always hoped that learning Spanish would be a door opener to friendships with local people.
Since moving to this village I’ve made an effort to talk to all my new neighbours. As I expected from village life they’ve all kept me at arm’s length. Except for one woman everybody has been polite but distant. The woman who lives directly opposite our house won’t even say hello to me. I’ve been ignoring this, and every time I see her I smile and say “hello, how are you?” She never replies, she just looks straight through me. I got to the point where I thought maybe she was deaf, but this morning I heard her talking to one of her neighbours. The neighbour was commenting on how nice our house was looking (my ears pricked up), but then the woman opposite us said, “I don’t know who he thinks he is. He comes over here speaking Spanish and thinking he’s really important…..”
I don’t think I’m important, I just have a really old fashioned notion that different cultures can live happily side by side. I say “old fashioned” because more and more I’m hearing the us and them argument rearing its ugly head. I’m not just talking about my small world. I take an interest in world news and it seems to be a global problem, foreigners are people to be wary of. That’s what makes me sad.

posted by: lynne (reply)
post date: 05.26.04 (7:22 am)

That really makes me sad too.

It also scares me. There is something in the human psyche that makes it too easy to slip into an us vs them mentality. It would be so much better if we were all "us"

posted by: mblog (reply)
post date: 05.26.04 (7:31 am)

I'm sure she knew quite well that you can hear her. In other words, she was being rude.

If speaking Spanish makes one think he's important, than perhaps your neighbor feels that she is even more important because her Spanish is better. But in that case, I don't understand why she considers you such a threat. Perhaps your Spanish is really better than hers.

It's ironic because where I live, people are very receptive when a Spanish speaker tries to speak English and says hello to everybody.

posted by: rosietulips (reply)
post date: 05.26.04 (8:17 am)

:(

posted by: newbie (reply)
post date: 05.26.04 (12:39 pm)

"The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there..."
Its a long way left for humanity to get rid of that assumption yet...
and unfortunately, people suffer as a result of that illusion.
Andaloo.... someday everyone will become a true human being, until then, :(

posted by: Andaloo (reply)
post date: 05.26.04 (10:37 pm)

Reply to: newbie
You're right, and maybe I'm over-reacting but it's something that has been playing on my mind for a while. I think it just got more important when it landed on my own door step, so to speak. BTW great quote, where's it from?

posted by: emj36 (reply)
post date: 05.28.04 (2:49 am)

Maybe she was the most interesting person on the street before you moved in and now she's jealous. You never know.

I would probably invite her and the woman that made the positive comments to tea or wine and cheese at your house.

posted by: JustJo (reply)
post date: 05.28.04 (11:32 am)

Andaloo, we can only judge for the way we are... for some reason the first thing that came to my mind is that she forgot the color of colors and the sound of music long time ago. The good thing is that for every bitter person there are many who are ready to paint rainbows for the rest. The world, inspite of all the hatred and anger, is still a beautiful place to be for two big reasons: love and hope :)

posted by: Andaloo (reply)
post date: 05.28.04 (9:25 pm)

Reply to: JustJo
Talking of the "sound of music", what IS that haunting sound I heard when I came to visit? I know it, or knew it...but it tasted different this time.

posted by: JustJo (reply)
post date: 06.01.04 (5:10 am)

Reply to: Andaloo
The sound of the voice I have no more, Andaloo. Music that speaks of long gone difficult times that I still don't know were meant to be...

posted by: Andaloo (reply)
post date: 06.01.04 (6:19 am)

Reply to: JustJo
Why not post?

posted by: newbie (reply)
post date: 06.01.04 (8:27 am)

Reply to: Andaloo
There are times when the best thing to do is do nothing at all. I like your posts.

posted by: JustJo (reply)
post date: 06.01.04 (8:28 am)

The prior post, was mine :)