Neighbourhood

I went with a friend to the Botanic Garden this afternoon, my third visit in three weeks. It changes all the time - I'm really going to enjoy this extension to my own messy garden.

I am surrounded by kind people. One of my neighbours, who twice saw me carrying heavy loads, offered to help next time. There hasn't been a next time that he has seen so instead he offered to bring me free food from the 'Indian' (Bangladeshi) restaurant round the corner where he works. I've refused emphatically and told him that if he brings me food I will pay for it, and so far I've won. There is nothing untoward about this - it is pure kindness.
 
But this evening I 'lost' on another front when another of my neighbours, from Afghanistan, knocked on my door with a bowl of curry.

How is it that my culture has lost this tradition of sharing food? I shall now be cooking something from my culture to so that I can return the bowl as it should be returned.