I’ve recently moved to a new flat in a four-storey house. I have two neighbors next door. One of them is a young family with two kids, and my other neighbor is a middle-aged woman, Maria, who lives alone.
I thought I would get along with them without any issue, as I’ve never had any problems with my neighbors in my previous places. However, my optimistic view was suddenly changed following a strange incident with the lady next door.
On a Friday night, I was cooking dinner when someone rang my doorbell. I was surprised to see Maria at my door. She started to complain that the garlic smell coming from my flat was bothering her through the wall. She said it was so strong that she couldn’t enjoy her favorite TV show and asked me not to use so much garlic next time.
I was stunned but didn’t say anything and just forgot about the whole incident. The following week, I made my favorite pasta with chicken and garlic. A few days later, to my surprise, the landlord showed up at my door. He said someone complained to him and criticized me for a “recurring odor issue.”
The solution
First, I became angry that my neighbor went behind my back and put me in this uncomfortable position. Then I started to think about a solution that could solve the situation.
So next time, when I cooked the same food, I went to Maria, and said with a smile, “Maybe you were upset because the food smelled too good, and you just wanted to taste it.” Then I handed her a plate of the dish I’ve been cooking.
