Neighbours

Classification Essay

Everyone has neighbours, that much is obvious. Whether they live down the street or if they live within throwing distance. Every person, every family, and every neighbourhood is different. Some neighbours can be very inconsiderate, and then there are some who are very considerate towards helping and respecting others. The inconsiderate neighbour is the one constantly playing loud music, and when someone complains they do not change their ways at all. The considerate neighbour may be the one who is always lending a helping hand; even before you ask for help. Then there is the silent neighbour, who may fall into either category, being considerate or inconsiderate depending how you want your neighbours to be. Whether your neighbours are the inconsiderate loud type or the considerate, over friendly and helpful type it is all about personal preference and how you want your neighbours to be and act towards you. All types of neighbours are an important part to each community, they can help us to learn to communicate and relate to all different types of people. Whether they are noisy and inconsiderate, silent and keep to themselves, or if they are helpful and considerate, they are all our neighbours. An inconsiderate neighbour may be the worst type of neighbour to have. They can be anything from loud to just plain out rude. An inconsiderate neighbour is usually the one who stays up late and comes home late, driving fast, squealing their tires around corners, and slamming the car doors. They play loud music with no cares as to who is sleeping. The worst part is the typical inconsiderate person has bad taste in music, so when they get home late playing loud music it is usually bad music; which makes it even worse. Playing loud music and coming home late is not the only thing that makes someone inconsiderate. And inconsiderate neighbour does not care for anyone or respect anyone, this neighbour will not change their ways due to complaints from others. Every street has its fair share of inconsiderate neighbours; even at my cottage we have inconsiderate neighbours. At my cottage a lot of my neighbours and I all share the same feeling towards one family. They always tend to ask favours and never do anything in return. They have come to my cottage many times asking to use the phone, computer, or some type of tool. But if anyone in my family or I was to ask a favour we would get shooed away, and feel as if we are intruding or being a pain by asking a small favour. These same neighbours have used my family dock many times and have broken parts off it at least two times. They never offer to offer to fix it or even apologize. The one time was when these specific neighbours had their boat tied to the dock and we needed to tie our boat there, but of course their boat was taking up all the room, and left us in an awkward position where we could not even park at our own dock. Of course the typical inconsiderate neighbour is stereotyped in playing loud music and most of the time it is bad music. And of course these neighbours at my cottage play their fair share of bad music; at least I think it is bad music. Many people may feel that an inconsiderate neighbour is the one who is rude, disrespectful, plays bad music loudly, and who has no care for the opinion of others. Some people may even believe that the silent neighbour who keeps to themselves is being inconsiderate. A silent neighbour may be an inconsiderate or considerate neighbour. It all depends on personal preference, about how you want your neighbours to act towards you. If you prefer to have neighbours who keep to themselves and stay silent, then these types of people you may say are very considerate neighbours. Although others may say someone who keeps to themselves, who does not attend neighbourhood activities or who does not lend a helping hand when needed, are very inconsiderate. Although everyone has their own idea of a perfect neighbour we usually are not lucky enough to live beside the perfect neighbour. A silent neighbour I think is a good neighbour; they keep to themselves and mind their own business. I have a few neighbours at my cottage who I would consider “silent” neighbours. There is many times where they just mind their own business and do not attend neighbourly gatherings for no apparent reason. These neighbours specifically do not even allow their children to play with other young children in the area. A few years ago I was put in a situation where I had to ask one of my silent neighbours who was an ex- nurse for a favour. I had cut my finger badly while baking and needed to go to the hospital to get stiches, neither my brother nor I, who were the only ones home at the time, were able to drive. We went across the street and asked one of our neighbours who we barely talk to if she could look at my finger and drive me to the hospital if needed. Of course she was able to tell me I needed stitches and drive me to the hospital.

Sometimes these neighbours come off as inconsiderate, but I believe they just prefer to keep to themselves and not be bothered. Of course in case of an emergency these neighbours are always there to help if asked, or if something needed to be borrowed. I believe silent neighbours are good neighbours, because most of the time they are considerate towards your being, considerate towards loud music, and will be there for a favour if you ever needed and asked. There are many neighbours who just prefer to keep to themselves, and then there are neighbours who are always out and about or always there to help before you even ask. There are all types of considerate and inconsiderate neighbours, someone who is loud or stays out late, I would consider them inconsiderate. There are also many types of considerate neighbours, those who just keep to themselves, then those who are extremely helpful and friendly. I believe having considerate and helpful neighbours is always a good thing. They are there to help before being asked, and they always have the tools you need to borrow. The typical helpful neighbour is always very friendly and outgoing, they are always outside or around on the street, talking to or helping other neighbours. The helpful neighbour always has the proper tools or items you would need for whatever it is you are doing. At my cottage there are many neighbours who will come and help with a project if you ask for help. But when I think of one specific neighbour who is extremely helpful and very friendly, there is one person who sticks out in my mind. We all know someone, or have someone on our street or at our cottages that is like this. My experience with this helpful neighbour is whenever we have to take the docks out it in the fall or put the docks back in, in the spring. There has been a few times my family has been taking docks out, or putting them in cold 15 degrees Celsius water and this specific neighbour came down to my cottage and just jumped into the water to help, even without asking if we needed help or if we even wanted help. This small gesture done by this neighbour always sticks out in my mind because he came and helped without is asking for help. My dad is the type of person who I would consider a helpful neighbour, he will always offer help to someone but will not ask for help when he needs help. The other day he was helping out a neighbour who is adding an extension on to his house. One of the roof beams had fallen and landed on my dad’s forehead. He had to go to the hospital and get 24 stitches and a scan for a concussion. When he was out of the hospital I asked him if he would go back and finish helping the neighbour, and he said of course he would. My dad is the type of person I would enjoy having as my neighbour, he is always there to lend a helping hand no matter what has occurred. Typically a helpful neighbour is very friendly and outgoing. My neighbour at the cottage and my dad are both very friendly and outgoing, at times it becomes a little bit excessive but we all enjoy having extra help, especially with jobs we do not want to do. There are many types of neighbours, noisy and loud, silent and private, or friendly, outgoing and helpful. Everyone has the perfect neighbour they wish they could have, but most of the time we get stuck with a few inconsiderate and a few considerate neighbours. But all these types of neighbours are what makes our communities exciting and fun. Everyone has neighbours and everyone has the perfect idea of how they want their neighbours to be and act. My perfect neighbour would be ones who have fun, and enjoy themselves but who are respective to those around them, when they come home late, by not slamming doors or squealing tires in the middle of the night. My perfect neighbour would be friendly, helpful, and outgoing to an extent. They would know how to mind their own business and not intrude, but when invited out or to a neighbourhood gathering they will attend. Writing this has me thinking about what type of neighbour I am. I believe everyone has their moments of being a perfect neighbour, or being a hated inconsiderate neighbour. Thinking how much worse a neighbour could be makes me thankful to the neighbours who I have at my house and my cottage. All neighbours share their own part in our community, they help us to learn to communicate, and relate to inconsiderate and considerate people. Makes you wonder, what type of neighbour are you?