Great Neighbors

In case you didn't know, I am a senior citizen who lives with an elderly cat in a mobile home. My house sits sideways on a busy road, and is adjacent to a hand car wash on one side; a white trailer faces the street on the lot next to me. 

Be that as it may . . .

In lieu of a horrible hand-written drawing, imagine my quiet block:

    South Side: 1 single family home (on 2 lots), 1 duplex, plus 2 empty lots

    North Side:  a bodega, hand car wash, MY PLACE, 1 neighbor's house, the trailer park entrance

In other words:

You can't use the trailer park entrance to get to my house. Well, that's been an issue for more than ten years. As you can imagine, getting deliveries to my abode can be problematic.

The folks who run the car wash have helped me when:

• I miss package deliveries (the owners live next door)
• I can't crank my lawn mower
• I found it impossible to load my bicycle in my car's trunk
• a storm left many downed branches on both sides of the fence between our properties 
• Two women helped me wrangle the branches to the curb 
• Another friend helped cut the unwieldy boughs
• I've given them copies of Liberty's Scrapbook.
• They get ice cream novelties when it's super-hot

Just this week:

• I came home mid-day with a humongous box in my car's trunk, courtesy of Lowe's.
• I could only get it maybe an inch out of the trunk. 
• Two men from the duplex across the street suddenly came over to help me. Up until then, we'd only called out greetings to each other. 
• We traded names, but I've forgotten theirs already. 
• They'll know my name because I gifted them with copies of Liberty's Scrapbook. 

Other neighbors (some of whom have since moved):

• Installed three A/C units for me
• Helped me lug furniture in or out
• Made minor repairs for me
• Cleaned my house for weeks after I had major surgery
• Helped me evacuate during Hurricane Matthew
• Swept pine straw from my roof (before I got gutters)
• Swept up my leaves each year we were neighbors
• Shared their barbecued meals with me
• Mowed my lawn
• Drove me to the hospital for day surgery

What's the point of all this, you may ask?

• Counting blessings bestowed on me, mostly by strangers or acquaintances, makes me optimistic about my future in this little community.

• By joining different groups, I've made lasting connections.
• Triangle South Literacy Works (recently resigned)
• The Enhancement Center
• Aspirations and Miracles
• Walk by Faith
• Triangle East Writers
• Weekly meetings
• Monthly Critique group
• Open Mike Night
• Scrabble Wednesdays 
• End of month dinners 

A person may live alone, but not necessarily FEEL alone.