PSLE: An Inconsiderate Neighbour

No one knew her name. No one liked her.

She was in everyone’s bad books and all found her a pain in the neck. She was cantankerous and she had no qualms in picking up a quarrel with anyone. She was boorish, impudent and was absolutely inconsiderate.

Her stacks of newspapers and discarded irreparable electrical appliances piled high both inside and outside the house and blocked the corridor.  It upset all the neighbours. Because of the garbage, her small flat permeated with a malodorous stench but she seemed immune to it. Troops of cockroaches scuttled everywhere but she was never bothered.

Neighbours had complained countless times to the police and the authorities about her mess and the stench. The town council came often to clear it up but new piles always never failed to appear the very next day. Everyone finally gave up trying.

The trolley creaked noisily as the wheels rolled along the corridor. I peeked out of the window and stole a glance. It was the old lady again. That horrid woman! Her trolley was filled to the brim with stacks of old newspapers and a broken fan. Shambling, the frail and hunchbacked septuagenarian was pushing it forward at a sloth’s pace. A crown of snow-white hair covered her flaky scalp and purple veins were visibly extended across her wrinkled face which was marked with brown patches of blemishes.

Her gate finally clanked to a close as I watched her disappear into her house. I went back to my revision, studying feverishly for my upcoming major examinations.

A strange smell then wafted in the air. What was that? Sensing something amiss, I went to check and opened the door to investigate. What greeted my eyes shocked me to the core! The mess outside the rag and bone lady’s flat had caught fire! My mouth fell agape in horror and my legs shook like tofu as the burning inferno spread like a bush fire that went out of control. 

Suddenly, an ear-busting scream sliced through the air and shook me out of my trance. It was the old lady. The blazing hot flames had engulfed everything in its path and the angry inferno was spreading into her house! 

Alarmed, I sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me to alert all the neighbours. Aghast, they ordered the young children to evacuate while the adults all came rushing over with buckets and buckets of water to douse the raging fire. The camaraderie was both heartwarming and amazing. No one minded and all gave a helping hand.

Fortunately, the fire brigade arrived in no time and the powerful snake-long hoses extinguished the fire speedily. Her home was covered in soot and she broke down in tears, quivering non-stop. The neighbours comforted her instead and offered to paint her home for her. The old lady was jagged with guilt and remorse. She could not believe that her kind neighbours offered so much help despite her meanness. 

Needless to say, she has mended her ways and become kinder. The neighbours have helped to do up her flat and even donated some furniture and appliances. Now, there is no more mess outside her house. It has been a happy ending for all of us. We have become like a big family and the old lady is now fondly known as ‘Liang Po Po’.