I remember when I just moved to Abuja city, the federal capital territory of Nigeria. I was very new to the city meaning I didn't know my way around nor did I know the right people to talk to. Our buildings are enormous making it difficult to talk to anyone because most people are always in their homes doing what they do. I never knew a beautiful lady was living next door to me because she was always indoors.

The truth about that is that I am also the same way. I go to work at 8:30 am because my job starts at 9 am and I close by 5 pm, so when I am back, I am mostly indoor.

This is a view of the other building opposite my building. Most time, I wake up to take bread and coffee then set out to the office, by night time I feel too tired to cook so I just buy food at some food vendor which costs me more. I don't have most kitchen utensils to make some of the food I want.

A woman was living two doors away from my door, most time I only saw her in the morning when I was leaving for work and when I was coming back home. All I do is greet her always, she was a Yoruba woman and this tribe in Nigeria are tribes that cherish respect so much.
"Good morning ma. Good evening ma. How is Ayomide (her daughter)" was all I used to say to her.

One Saturday morning, I decided to make pepper stew, white rice, and fried fish. Everything was set but the light went off (Nepa don start again) I started slicing my pepper and tomatoes with a knife like I always do when the light is out, and I can't use the blender. I knew if I made the stew with sliced pepper and tomatoes, I wouldn't like the result, so I walked to the only woman I had had a conversation with (Good Morning Ma) to lend me her manual hand grinder.

To my surprise, she was very happy I came to her. We had a little conversation, and I played with her daughter, and that's how we became friends. I started visiting them often before Boredom killed me in my apartment, and I became friends with her husband and daughter. We became very close and the food issue was solved.

For almost a year, I never entered the kitchen again. All I did was add to the supply of their house, I spent most of my Saturdays and Sundays there. They became the family I never had in a strange land. From neighbors, they became my family.

I can't forget how her daughter always cried anytime I was leaving for the office, and I won't take her along.


Ayo is like a daughter I wish for myself in the future, we all hang out together most time and I was happy to have a neighbor like her. The rest of my neighbors, I have nothing much to talk about because they are always indoors, for the fine girl next door. I never spoke with her till I left.

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