Reader’s Digest Canada – September 2019

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Trouble

Next Door?

E

veryone’s had at least one bad

neighbour. Maybe they owned

a dog who always peed on your

hydrangea. Maybe they put their

trash out early, to be ravaged by

squirrels. Maybe they were just

plain grumpy. There are as

many ways to cause offence

as there are humans.

One frequent issue of con-

tention is noise. I’ve been

subjected to the cacophony

of handy-people who employ

power tools at times I deem

more suitable to sipping

coffee and yawning. And

then there’s the guy on

my block who’s taken

up the bagpipes (and

no, he isn’t very good).

I may roll my eyes—“Amazing Grace,”

if played on repeat, will do that—but

I know these disruptions come with

living in a populated area. A few years

ago, however, I did need to raise a con-

cern with a neighbour: pipes were

vibrating in our co-owned building,

and the problem originated from her

flat. She told me she was reluctant to

call a plumber because she was wor-

ried about the cost.

Understanding is at the root of com-

passion and of all meaningful relation-

ships. It can even help guide you

through conflict. To learn practical

strategies for resolving disputes, check

out “Keep the Peace” (page 48).

And those problematic pipes?

Thanks to a clerk at my local hardware

store, I purchased the refill valve I

needed and fixed the issue in 30 min-

utes. The silence that followed was

broken only by the sound of me

bragging about my newfound

plumbing skills.

reader’s digest

4 september 2019

EDITOR’S LETTER

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