A Good "Neighbor" is My Nearest Relation 遠くの親戚より近くの他人

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Sachiko, a friend of mine, saw a neighbor washing a car a few days ago. She had met him in the elevator hall and talked while the elevator was going down, but this had been the only communication she had had with him until that day since she had moved into the condo about 15 years earlier. Thinking that he wouldn't notice her, Sachiko was almost to pass by when the neighbor said hello and asked if something had happened to her or her husband, referring to paramedics coming to her house one month earlier. She briefly explained what had happened, i.e., feeling fainted because of anemia, she had been taken to a hospital and stayed there for five days, and apologized for any disturbance. Then, she was surprised to hear him saying without hesitation, "If something happens next time, let us know." It may sound natural in the States, but not in Japan or at least Tokyo. She was glad about his kindness.

Sachiko hasn't told about her hospitalization to her parents or relatives because she is sick of hearing them say that getting sick is her fault. Thomas Fuller once said that "A good friend is my nearest relation." In Japan, we say, "A good neighbor is more reliable than your relative living far away."

幸子さんが出かけようとしたら、隣のご主人が車を洗っていた。ご近所だというのに、マンション入居以来、エレベーターで話したことぐらいしかなかったので、そのまま通り過ぎようとしたら、「何かあったんですか、大丈夫ですか」と声を掛けられた。幸子さんちに救急隊が来たのを知っていたらしい。「もう大丈夫です。お騒がせして申し訳ありませんでした」と答えたらなんとご主人、「次に何かあったら遠慮なく声かけてくださいね！」ですって！アメリカでは珍しくないかもしれない（？）が、日本、特に東京ではこんなことありませんよね。幸子さん、びっくりしたけどとても嬉しかったそうです。

「病気になるのはお前のミス」と言われるのにうんざりして、入院のことは親兄弟に話していない幸子さん。日本では「遠くの親戚より近くの他人」と言うけど、英国ではトマス・フラー氏が「良き友人は一番近い親戚である」と言うらしい。幸子さん、それをさらにひとひねりして「遠くや近くの親戚よりも良き隣人」と言ってました。