NEIGHBOURS by Timothy John Winton

Background:

Tim Winton, full name Timothy John Winton, is an Australian author born in 1960. He writes novels for both adults and children, often focusing on life and the landscape of Australia. In 1982, he won The Australian Literary Award for his unpublished manuscript, An Open Swimmer, beating 35 other writers. Some of his famous novels are That Eye, the Sky (1986), Dirt Music (2001), and Breath (2008). He also wrote children’s books like Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo (1990), The Bugalugs Bum Thief (1991), and The Deep (1998).

The story Neighbours is from the book Migrants of Australia, edited by Harwood Lawler. It tells about a newly married couple living in a diverse neighborhood. The story shows how people can overcome cultural and language differences through love and kindness.

SUMMARY:

When the young couple first moved into their new neighborhood, they were cautious. The street was filled with European immigrants, making them feel like strangers. A Macedonian (/ˌmasəˈdōnēən/) family lived on one side and an old Polish man lived on the other. Their small house had high ceilings and elegant windows, and from the young man's study, he could see the park where they walked their dog. The neighbors were wary of the dog, a gentle collie.

The couple had always lived in the outer suburbs where neighbors were rarely seen or heard. They were surprised by the sounds of the Macedonian family loudly talking and the Polish man hammering wood in his yard. It took them six months to realize the Macedonians weren't fighting but just talking loudly. The Polish man spent his days hammering nails into wood only to pull them out again, and his yard was full of salvaged wood that he never used.

For months, interactions with neighbors were awkward. The Macedonians disapproved of the couple's late mornings and the young man staying home to write while his wife worked. They were disgusted by the neighbor's little boy urinating in the street and spraying the cat. But things started to change in autumn when the couple cleaned their backyard and planted a garden. The neighbors offered advice on gardening, which the young man reluctantly accepted. His wife connected with the Macedonian woman, who gave her garlic cloves to plant.

The couple built a henhouse, but it fell down. The Polish man rebuilt it for them without speaking a word. As the seasons changed, the couple began to interact more with their neighbors, exchanging gifts and smiling at each other. The young man worked on his thesis, and the couple felt proud when their parents visited.

In winter, they kept ducks, and in spring, the Macedonian family taught them how to slaughter and dress them. The neighbors told stories, and the couple felt a sense of belonging. But when the young woman became pregnant, it was unexpected. Their friends usually waited longer to have children. The couple adjusted, with the wife arranging maternity leave and the young man continuing his thesis.

The Polish man started building a garage in the spring, which annoyed the couple. But soon, the entire neighborhood knew about the pregnancy and offered their support. Italian women suggested names, Greek women predicted the baby’s gender, and the Macedonian woman knitted baby clothes. The young woman felt overwhelmed but grateful.

When the time came for the baby to be born, the neighborhood watched and offered their best wishes. The young man supported his wife through labor, and after a long night, their baby boy was born. The couple was deeply moved by the experience, realizing that nothing in his studies had prepared him for this moment. The neighbors cheered, and the young man was brought to tears, feeling connected to his community.

Short Summary:

When a young couple first moved into a neighborhood full of European migrants, they felt out of place. Their small house had high ceilings and elegant windows, and they had a dog that the neighbors were wary of. On one side lived a Macedonian family, and on the other, a Polish widower. The couple was not used to the lively sounds and customs of their new neighborhood, like the loud talking of the Macedonians or the Polish man hammering nails for no apparent reason.

At first, relations were uncomfortable. The neighbors disapproved of the young man staying home to write his thesis while his wife worked, and the couple found some of the neighbors' habits strange. However, things began to change when the couple started gardening. The neighbors offered advice, and the couple received garlic cloves from the Macedonian woman.

The couple's relationship with the neighbors improved further when the Polish widower helped them rebuild a fallen henhouse. Over time, they shared vegetables, gifts, and even learned to butcher ducks together. Despite their initial discomfort, the couple grew closer to their neighbors and started to feel at home.

When the young woman became unexpectedly pregnant, the neighborhood showed support and excitement. The neighbors gave gifts and advice, and the couple began to feel more integrated into the community. As the baby’s birth approached, the whole neighborhood was aware and involved.

When labor started, the young man abandoned his thesis to focus on his wife. The neighbors watched and offered their best wishes. The birth was a powerful and emotional experience for the couple, and the young man realized that nothing he had studied could prepare him for this moment. The neighbors celebrated the baby's arrival, and the young man was deeply moved by their support.