Being neighbourly

I've been quite lucky (touchwood) in the people living around me. People working around me is another thing entirely. Duh!
I got along like a house on fire with my hostelmates at both Cochin and Bangalore. and that luck carried on with all my landlords too. The run of good neighbours continued in my own apartment of course, and it continues with my current rented one.

One of them, (the neighbour I get along with the best) is moving on...
Her black labrador used to remind me soooo MUCH of my own brown one back home in Kerala. She and I used to get on famously, exchanging dog and cat stories, and books among other things. They didn't have kids then, and Sonny boy used to like it there too, as he'd be made much over.
When I finally brought Trinity, our golden brown lab home, she was so excited for us. Our relationship grew stronger for the fact that they were one of the few people who loved having a dog jump up all over them. I would have loved for Leo and Trinity to make puppies together. Sigh. But that was not to be.

And then, after 11 years, they had a baby of their own.

And now, they're moving back to Kolkata. A, the husband has gotten a job there in their native place. This will help her heaps with the baby as their folks are in Kolkata. And I'm happy for her. But I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that I was going to be one nice neighbour short.

And then- Abha said that she was looking out for a house in our neighbourhood as Cubby's school was close by. One thing lead to another, and Abha decided to see the house.
We met outside the apartment complex when she came, and that was when Sonny boy got to know that C (our current neighbour) was leaving sometime soon.
After the initial pleasure at meeting up with old friends, when we were on our way again, he asked me in a not-so-happy tone,

"C aunty is leaving?"
"Yeah, sonny boy, she is", I looked back at him in empathy.
"But why is she leaving?"
"Because A uncle found a better job in Kolkata."
"So Leo will also leave?"

That's their lovely black lab.
Someone who's less mad-dog than Trinity, and who therefore, Sonny boy gets along better with. He's also superbly trained, and can play fetch with Sonny. The two of them together can throw and fetch bones and balls for ages! Trinity, if you throw a bone/ball for her, will take it and disappear under the dining table and expect to be coaxed out of it physically!
Also, with Leo, there's no rivalry for Amma's attention.

"Yeah, Sonny boy, Leo will also leave."
"But then, I won't be able to play with Leo," he said sadly.

I looked at him, knowing that I too would miss Leo lots. Would miss his friendly pattering to the door on the ringing of the bell, and the rush to get his bone on seeing it was us.

"But then, Sonny boy, if Abha aunty comes, you will be able to play with Kabir."
"Kabir is coming HERE?"
"Yeah. that's why they've come here... to see C aunty's house"
"Ok".

He sat back in his seat, mulling over the fact that was losing and gaining a friend in one go.

"Can Kabir play cricket with me?"
"of course he can, Sonny boy. M uncle can also join in, with Acha."
"Ok."
A happy smile spread across his face.

Ah. to be a child and have these transient sorrows and big joys!