Neighborhood stories

He had an elderly mother who was ill and unable to walk. While his siblings suggested that the children take turns caring for their mother so that everyone shared the responsibility, he asked to bring his mother to his home to care for her without accepting any financial contribution from his siblings. Later, his mother wanted to return to her hometown to spend her final years close to her neighbors, so he renovated her old house, hired a caregiver, and visited her regularly on weekends.

Neighbors also knew him as a thoughtful homemaker despite his demanding job. His image was used by some women in the neighborhood to remind their husbands of their responsibilities.

During several community tea gatherings, he suggested that the neighborhood organize various activities to foster greater community cohesion. He also proposed establishing a fund to assist struggling families and reward high-achieving students. Furthermore, he mentioned seeking sponsors to install some exercise equipment in the neighborhood.

Mr. Bach's image would have remained positive if it weren't for the recent heavy rain that caused flooding in the neighborhood. While residents were rushing from house to house helping to raise belongings and move furniture to higher floors to avoid the water, Mr. Bach was absent. When people called to join, he shouted back that he was afraid of getting cavities in his feet from wading through the rainwater.

After the rain, the entire neighborhood was littered with trash, styrofoam containers, plastic basins, etc. Families came out to clean up in front of their houses, but the area in front of Mr. Bach's house remained messy. When someone asked why he wasn't cleaning, he replied: "This trash isn't mine. It's someone else's that floated here. Please take the styrofoam containers and plastic basins back home if you see who they belong to, don't obstruct traffic in and out of my house. Otherwise, wait for the sanitation workers to come and clean it up. We pay our monthly fees, so why should we?"

Many people asked each other if Mr. Bach was acting unusually today. One person replied, "There's nothing unusual at all. That's just his usual self. I've listened and observed carefully, and all this time he's just been putting on a show, but we haven't noticed. He's been so eager to help the neighborhood, but none of it has actually materialized; it's all just talk."

It's true that some people deliberately appear generous to gain influence, but it's often just a facade. To judge a person's character, look at their actions, not just their words. And don't just look at how they treat their family; look at how they treat the community.

Hanh Nhien

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/chuyen-o-khu-pho-256162.htm