An Inadvertent Selfie at the Mall: How I Inadvertently Unveiled Our Entitled Neighbor’s True Colours
Ezra never thought that a straightforward selfie taken at the mall with her mother would reveal an astonishing secret about Jerry, her neighbour who seemed to be ideal. An innocent family outing quickly evolved into a realisation that would permanently alter her perception of her neighbours.
Ezra and her husband, Bernard, moved into their new house two years and four days ago. Their second wedding anniversary fell on this historic date, and they were excited to begin a new chapter in their lives. With its verdant surroundings, serene atmosphere, and amiable neighbours like Jerry and Lola who welcomed them with open arms on their first day, the neighbourhood appeared to be ideal.
Everything was blissful at first. In addition to loving their new house and yard, Bernard and Ezra also treasured their old pickup truck. However, their neighbours’ true selves quickly became apparent, particularly Jerry’s. Jerry would criticise their grass, Ezra’s coffee, and Bernard’s truck every morning while she went to get the newspaper and took a sip of it. Not much better was his wife Lola, who frequently gave them insulting unsolicited advise about their landscaping decisions.
Ezra started to feel irritated by these continuous barbs and started to wonder if she and Bernard were truly a suitable fit for the neighbourhood. She tried to ignore the remarks, but they bothered her and made her feel unworthy in her own house. She had always wanted to make Jerry pay for his actions, but she was unsure of how to proceed until an unforeseen chance came along.
The chance presented itself one day when Ezra and her mother made the decision to go mall shopping. They laughed at ridiculous headgear, tried on outfits, and took selfies at every opportunity during the day. Later that night, as Ezra was in bed going through the day’s pictures, she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. She noticed someone in the backdrop of one of the photographs she took by the mall fountain who appeared uncannily familiar. It was Jerry.
Bernard caught on to it as well. “Is that not Jerry in the background?” he questioned, narrowing his eyes to the television.
When Ezra looked more closely, he could see that it was Jerry, but what was he doing? He wasn’t his typical composed self in the picture. Rather, he seemed to be passing out pamphlets—a long cry from the prosperous, successful persona he presented to the community. It was an odd scene, and the pair realised they had found something important.
They made the decision to face Jerry the following morning. He went over to them with his usual critiques, but this time Ezra interrupted. She handed him the picture and said, “Jerry, we need to talk.”
Jerry’s face became white upon seeing his reflection in the shopping centre. Sensing something was wrong, he stammered out an explanation as Lola approached. She was clearly shaken when she viewed the picture. Jerry acknowledged that he had been acting as though nothing was wrong since he lost his job a year and a half ago. Too embarrassed to inform his wife, he had been making ends meet by passing out leaflets.
Tearfully, Lola stormed off, crushed. The “perfect” couple in the neighbourhood turned out to be just as imperfect as everyone else as Jerry’s façade came apart. Bernard and Ezra exchanged a smile of relief mixed with sympathy. Jerry and Lola, who had their own problems to deal with, could no longer be their unrelenting critics.
Bernard proposed that they celebrate by getting a new coffee maker and taking a ride in their cherished truck when the stress subsided. With a sense of closure and a fresh realisation that even the most judgemental individuals frequently harbour their own secret fears, Ezra agreed.
Ultimately, Ezra learnt from the experience that you never really know what someone else is going through and that sometimes the most unlikely circumstances can disclose the truth. What are your thoughts on this turn of events?
