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When Clive moved in, he didn’t know a soul.  The something was pushed inside his post-box.  It wasn’t a Valentine or love note, it was a list of when and which bins would be collected on a weekly basis.

 

It was a kind gesture.

 

Neighbourly.

 

*

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Clive thought it was kind.

 

Clive thought it was neighbourly.

 

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Clive called around to his neighbour.  He had a barrage of questions.  He knew it was unfair.  He knew it was one-sided but he could not stop himself from talking.  Over coffee Clive  found information about:

 

• Post boxes

• Post offices

• Recycling point

• Libraries

• Banks

• Building Societies

• Dry Cleaners

• Garages

 

Etc. etc. etc.

 

This they discussed over coffee at her house, Abi’s house.

 

It was a neighbourly gesture.

 

Clive decided that Abi was kind.

 

*

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Wrong Choices

 

 

 

The first week Clive walked forwards to the end of the drive with his bin.  He had put out the wrong bin for collection.  Abi knocked on his door and corrected his mistake.  So, he walked forwards again to the end of the drive, removing the incorrect bin, then backwards with it home, then forwards with the right bin and backwards home again. The following day Abi once more knocked on Clive’s door.  He had taken in her bin in error.  He had walked forwards to the end of the drive and backwards to his home with something that did not belong to him.

 

More apologies.

 

Apologies over coffee.

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For the next four weeks Clive repeatedly brought in the wrong bin and the forwards and backwards motions continued.  It became their joke.

 

A joke over coffee.

 

The fifth week Abi failed to see the funny side any more.  It was a joke that was wearing thin.  She called round announcing to Clive that she had quite clearly painted the number of her house on her bin so that the same mistake could not be made in the future.  By her demeanour, Clive could tell that Abi was obviously irritated and her conversation was brusque. 

 

She turned down the offer of coffee.

 

Clive never made the same mistake again.

 

When their paths met, as the paths of neighbours do, they were cordial but over time Abi did smile at him.  Over time she enquired as to how his life was going.  Over time things seemed to be remedied.  Over time Clive learnt how to walk forwards with the correct bin and backwards with the correct bin.

 

 

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We All Make Mistakes

 

 

 

Clive was not expecting any deliveries but a courier package was left on his doorstep.  He hastily brought it in.  He was on his way to work and was in a hurry.  He would look at it tonight.

 

That evening Clive saw that the package was not addressed to him.  It was for Abi.  He called round but she was out so he kept it for her.  The next day was Saturday and her car had returned.  He tentatively knocked on her door and explained the situation, apologising for keeping her package and explaining that he did not want to leave it out exposed.

 

Abi invited him in for a coffee.  Clive had not set foot in her house for six months.

 

*

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Surprisingly the conversation was comfortable and flowed freely.  Abi even brought up the issue with the bins and laughed about the mistakes he had made.

 

*

**

 

“I never made a mistake.  I always knew which one was my bin.  I just could not think of another way to talk to you”.

 

It was one of those moments.  Clive could not make eye contact.  The silence seemed to go on for an eternity.  It was Abi who eventually spoke.

 

“If only you had said, I would have listened.  I like to listen and I am listening now.  Why did you not say”?

 

*

**

 

“Because I have been always backwards in coming forward”.

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