It's the night before our birthday (mine and Rachel's) and I'm alone. I've had a crappy day, Chris isn't home and I feel pretty flat. But do you know what will make me feel better? Neighbours. That's right, never-ending, repetitive, safe, Neighbours. I often think about Rari when I'm watching it because she is one of the few people who understands how important it is to me (the other two are my mum and the man I'm going to marry). Usually when I tell people about my Neighbours habit (it is a drug) a pitying look will come into their eyes. Or, they will change the subject, talking about some other stupid show like Home and Away WHICH I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT.
But not Rachel.
She will always ensure that her calls don't disrupt my Neighbours time. Even when calling me from Sudan to communicate that she has been in a rickshaw accident while suffering deep vein thrombosis (actually Rachel and Neighbours do have quite a few things in common....), the first thing she will ask is "It's not 6:30 there is it?'. When Rachel is actually in the country and people diss my taste she will rush to my defence with a half joking smile, but there is a look in her eyes that says 'Do NOT disrespect Neighbours in Mary's presence and therefore mine'.
While abroad Rachel's international life is full of very serious things. She works for various do gooder organisations and has an understanding of politics that is way over my head. However, I think that even if she one day was head of the UN, hosting a peacekeeping discussion in the Middle East, she wouldn't have the same serious expression as when I relate to her what's happening on Neighbours.
'I CAN'T BELIEVE Toady is SERIOUSLY going to try it on with Sonia again!!!' I explosively tell her. I know that Rachel has no concept of who Toadie is or what relation he is to Sonia, but that doesn't mean that the situation doesn't have her complete attention. In her mind a woman (Sonia)lies on the dirty floor. In the doorway, a dark and menacing man with a disfigured face that has earned him the name 'Toadie' sneers at her, threatening to 'try it on' again. Rachel is outraged. 'Sonia will have to leave!' she exclaims, quickly thinking through the various community support options available in the region. 'But she can't leave now!' I wail 'she's discovered that Toadie's foster son is her long lost child!'. This new information will be quickly absorbed and Rachel is onto the next strategy, determined that together we will save this woman. She is unaware that in Neighbours tiny little world this major problem can be solved over a cup of coffee at Harold's and a good long chat.
That's what I love about Neighbours. Everything turns out right in the end. It might take an entire season to get there, but eventually the baddies will suffer and those squeaky clean kids will be just fine. When and I talk through problems with Rachel I also get this feeling. Sure I just lost my phone and it was really expensive to replace, but if I talk to Rachel I know that this is just a tiny scene in the episode of my life. Tonight I don't have Rachel with me and I will have to turn to my substitute, but I know that in the same way that Neighbours will NEVER EVER EVER END, Rachel will always be there for me to help me see that it's all going to be OK. And that's likewise snot eyes from me. Happy birthday Rari.
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