Something that was said in church today made me think some former neighbors, then later when I got home, my daughter was researching job openings online, and I was reminded of these neighbors again, because of a job suggestion the husband had given me once...
OK, before I lose everyone completely - a little background material...Harriet and Paul were about as unlikely a couple as there ever was. She was an educated, cultured Jewish girl from New Jersey, and he was an LDS National Park Ranger from Idaho. They met when they were both working at Independence Square in Philadelphia. I could go on, but probably shouldn't since they aren't around anymore to re-butt.
Anyway, they were delightful neighbors! Paul was heavily into Boy Scouts, and somehow he found out that I had a "crafty" side, and because he had been almost completely blinded (by an accident involving fireworks), he would often call on me to help whenever he needed some creative project done.
My first experience with this was when he called me on the phone and said - I need you to make me a sheet cake. I hemmed and hawed a bit, (because I am not known for my baking!) but finally agreed. He came to the door carrying a bundle of white fabric. He told me that he needed me to draw a huge cake on it ("sheet" cake...) because someone in the Scout leadership was being honored and they were going to give it to him. So I took a marker and drew him a wedding-type layer cake the full length of that sheet - and I literally giggled the whole time I was doing it!
I did several other projects for him and his family - everything from painting the scout emblem on a trailer that they hauled their supplies in, to painting a delicate floral design on a beautiful head-board that he had made for his daughter, I did merit badge signs for him to take to the National BS Jamboree in Washington DC. It was almost always something surprising and unusual that made me smile.
Like the time he asked me to paint bricks on the chimney of a doll house he had built for his daughter for Christmas. I agreed without much thought, thinking it would be a small project that could be done in a few hours, but when he brought this doll house to my house (in a truck!) it was about 4 feet wide, and 5 feet tall! It took up nearly half of my kitchen. (luckily we had no furniture in there at the time, because we had just replaced the flooring)
Where do the eyeballs come in you ask? (silly reader, because now I'm going to tell you!) One day I ran into him just after he had been to pick up a new prosthetic eye (he lost one in the accident)...and he said "I just found the perfect job for you!
He said he had gone into the (lab? where does one go to pick up artificial eyes?)...anyway, he said there were a bunch of people sitting there painting these eyes, and I thought of you!
(Question - where does one go for training to paint prosthetic eyes? I would totally do it if I had a clue!)
The giving wasn't totally one-sided. I was given many silly Boy Scout awards for my service. (I cherish my "button" gear award!) These dear neighbors always came to visit with a fresh baked loaf of bread every Christmas, and again on the night before I checked in to the hospital for my heart surgery they were there, wishing me the best, with that bread still warm from the oven.
They since have re-located to Philadelphia. I miss doing those fun projects for them -they always made me smile! And I sure do miss these wonderful neighbors!
1 comment:
When I was growing up in California, for about 7 or 8 years we lived next door to a Catholic couple who weren't able to have any children. Because we couldn't pronounce their last name (I believe it was Pasteuzyn or something...) we called them by their first names, and got along with them famously. The wife would always take us to parks & zoos & even fabric stores. She taught us how to cross stitch & let us play computer games in her bedroom, and taught us how to play spoons with face cards.
Looking back, I wonder if she was bugged by our constant rushing over, but I think in some way we provided something for her that she missed.
I think maybe we all bless each other's lives in ways that are unexpected, & even unthought of until later. You were blessed by your neighbors, but I'm sure they also felt that YOU blessed THEIR lives. It's just one of the marvelous results of good people being good to each other.
Thanks for sharing!
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