In the neighborhood, the friendship between Mr. Sharma and Mr. Verma was legendary. People often joked that the two neighbors were hand in glove, for whether it was a moment of joy or a minor crisis, they were always seen together. At times, their togetherness was almost too much to handle.
Early every morning, Mr. Verma would appear at Mr. Sharma’s doorstep and cheerfully announce, “Brother, today the tea is on you!”
Mr. Sharma would simply smile and prepare the tea, knowing that it was better to maintain peace with a cup of tea than to argue.
One day, Mr. Verma arrived looking serious. “Sharma ji, I need your advice,” he said.
“Of course, what’s the matter?” Mr. Sharma asked.
“I planted a new sapling, but I’m not sure if I’ve placed it in the right spot.”
Without hesitation, Mr. Sharma accompanied him outside. The two spent nearly half an hour discussing the plant’s position as if they were solving a national issue. Finally, Mr. Sharma concluded, “The plant is perfectly fine — but it must be protected from overly curious people like you.”
Every evening, the pair went for a walk in the park. One day, Mr. Verma enthusiastically suggested, “Let’s walk a little extra today. It’s good for health.”
“Fine,” replied Mr. Sharma, “but you’ll have to match my pace.”
Barely five minutes later, Mr. Verma sighed, “I think I need a short rest.”
Smiling, Mr. Sharma said, “It seems your stamina also depends on me.”
Whenever someone in the neighborhood needed help, these two were the first people everyone thought of. If there was a power outage in someone’s house, Mr. Verma would say, “Let’s ask Sharma ji; he’ll know the solution.” And if someone felt like having tea, Mr. Sharma would joke, “Go to Verma ji’s house — today he’s hosting.”
Gradually, the neighbors realized that being hand in glove was not just about closeness in clothing, but about genuine friendship.
Even today, Mr. Sharma and Mr. Verma believe that a neighbor is not merely someone who lives nearby, but a cheerful and lively part of one’s life.
RAJEEV VERMA 