This is a wall next to my apartment. It separates the apartment building and the house of the apartment building’s owner. This wall intrigues me so much – I hear kids shouting and playing, and yet when I come over to the owner’s house for something, I don’t see any kids at all.

There are fruit trees behind the wall. In the afternoons the tree provides shade, and I often see some of my neighbor’s put out chairs and for an afternoon chitchat.

On some days, my neighbors have snacks there – watermelons, mangoes, and sometimes I see them snacking on banana cue (banana fritters coated with caramelized sugar) and the favorite soda. With a bit of gentle breeze, it is an ideal place to while away the lazy summer afternoons. As I am still new in this neighborhood, I have yet to know my next-door neighbors. When I pass by this area, they give me a friendly smile and I nod in return. Who knows, in a few week’s time, I’ll be one of the mainstays there seeking the comfort of the shade and enjoying my neighbor’s company.