My Next Door Neighbour - July 1 2025

 

My Next Door Neighbour

July 1 2025

My next door neighbour

who is a big man

with strongly held views

used to be a teacher.

I think he would have been a strict one;

no chewing gum

or late assignments.

Presiding over his class

he would have stood behind the desk

hulking over it

looking intense;

turning his back to write

chalk would get lost

in his meaty hands.

I can see it breaking against the board

when he really went at it,

a man

who loved the subject he taught

and believed in the job

he’d been entrusted.

The kind of teacher you learn from

intimidated or not.

And the kind

you have a good-natured laugh about

at the 20 year reunion

after a couple of rounds,

middle-aged men

a little fat around the middle

fondly reminiscing.

But no first name

because he’ll always be “Mr.”.

To me, of course, he’s the dog lover,

the guy cutting the lawn,

the handyman

who’s good with his hands

I can always call on for help.

And now, long retired

I imagine he’s smaller than he was

in the prime of life

with his football days behind him;

although I must admit

he still intimidates me

a grown man

at least a bit.

I wonder about the teens

he sent out into the world.

Did they learn from his example?

Did they acquire knowledge?

Was their curiosity fired?

A good neighbour

can help you change a tire.

But a good teacher

can change a life.

I still remember mine

from back in the day.

Too late

to let them know.

The inspiration for it was this personal essay from today’s Globe, which you might also enjoy:

https://globe2go.pressreader.com/article/281745570382732