Good ladders make good neighbours

Last week, I asked my younger sister to borrow a ladder from a neighbour in order to trim the banana leaves in my garden.
Some people say banana trees do not need much trimming. I disagree with them. I find all banana trees, the short ones and those which stand quite tall, need much trimming.
I had to trim the leaves from one particular banana tree because the sheaths of leaves were touching the telephone cables in the backyard.
The banana variety in my garden is the “Pisang Kepok” (Musa x paradisiaca) or the “Kepok” banana. Since my mother planted the first Kepok banana tree in the garden years ago, my family, my friends and relatives have been enjoying “pisang goreng” (fried bananas) at least twice a year.
Ideally, all gardeners including part time gardeners like me should have their own ladders.
For a long time, I wanted to buy my own ladder but my son discouraged me from doing so. This is the truth straight from my heart.
“Just borrow one when you need it. You don’t need it all the time. Besides, if you buy one, where will you keep it?,” he said.
My son, who is very frugal, is always advising me to save money if I can. Looking around my small house, there is, indeed, no good place to keep a ladder.
The only place where a ladder can be safely kept without risk of falling on anybody, especially my mother who is an Alzheimer’s patient, is the garden.
But I do not want to end up like a friend who lost a ladder he kept in his garden. One day it was there. The next day, when he needed it to do some work inside the house, it was no longer there.
Nowadays, thieves are everywhere. Among those walking along the back lanes of housing estates are potential thieves on the lookout for valuable things to steal. Steel ladders, like those that I have been borrowing from my good neighbours, are not cheap.
Thieves can easily carry away light steel ladders in their vehicles. They can also carry away even heavy steel ladders. All they need is plenty of time. Plus a quiet neighbourhood where people keep to themselves and mind their own business.
Thus, with no good place to keep a ladder inside the house, my family members have resorted to borrowing a ladder from a neighbour whenever we need it.
There are two good neighbours who are happy to lend us their ladders. If Neighbour A is not in the house when we need a ladder, we go to Neighbour B to borrow the ladder.
I borrow a ladder in order to trim the banana trees. My son borrows a ladder just before the Chinese New Year to paint the ceiling and walls in the house. In my opinion, good ladders make good neighbours.
Because of their willingness to lend us their ladders, I consider Neighbour A and Neighbour B my good neighbours. So when it’s time to harvest the bananas in the garden, I always think of them and will present each with a big bunch of ripe bananas.
Because I take the trouble to trim the banana leaves as well as trim back the stray ones and make sure they do not trespass into a fussy neighbour’s garden, the neighbour is also happy with me deep in her heart. Yes, good ladders make good neighbours, my friends.
While my sister tried to reach the uppermost leaves of the banana trees and free the telephone cables from them, I held the base of the ladder to make sure she did not fall. Both of us also worked hard to cut off the old, dead leaves to stimulate the growth of the trees.
My sister and I have gathered the banana leaves into a pile. When they are dry, we will burn them. We are thinking of doing that this weekend.
I am glad I decided to trim the banana leaves in my garden last week. As my sister cut off the old dead leaves from one tree, I was delighted to discover dozens of little bananas on it. Thank God for the bountiful harvests from my garden!