Thursday, February 13, 2014

Snow Magic



Rediscovering Our Greatness
So I'm sitting here doing the  Best exotic marigold hotel post and I keep hearing noises.  Then I hear muffled voices.  I figure I left the iPad running some movie.  Then I hear scraping on the porch.  (I have 20-200 hearing)

The snow weighed about 60 pounds a shovel full, and wore me out after a few hours  I was only able to get less than half the driveway done, and none of the sidewalks  when I remembered I had to check something inside.  I came in and did some deep contemplating for about 3 hours. By then it was snowing again. Screw it. I'll finish tomorrow.

I opened the door,  and this! 

HMOG!

The sight of black driveway, and cleared sidewalks! did not compute.  
"What are you doing?"
"We're shoveling your driveway."
"But, why?"
Because we wanted to."

Seconds of flummoxed silence
"I'll pay you"
"You don't have to."
"I want to."

Went in, got some money and gave it to him

"Is that your brother?"

"No, he's my friend," and he ran over to give him his cut.

I am still flummoxed. 
It's stuff I would have done as a kid.  Just overcome by this act of kindness.  By neighborhood yoots.  It's why we win.  USA UAS USA. 


13 comments:

Tom Smith said...

Hispanic?

Rodger the Real King of France said...

Hispanic what? The boy? Red head Irish

iri said...

Chamber CEO: U.S. Needs More Low-Skill Immigration Since Americans Are Not 'Qualified" or 'Willing' to Do Such Work - Drudge

I used to do the same thing as a kid. I'd hit the entire neighborhood. I think I asked for $2 a drive and the old lady at the end of the street got it just 'cause she was an old lady. It's how I bought my first Schwinn without fat tires and a foot break.

DougM said...

Nature, the source of most shovel-ready jobs.
And Mike Rowe would be pleased.

Rodger the Real King of France said...

The crazy thing is, while I was out there shoveling I was thinking that in all the years I shoveled snow here, only one time did kids come by and ask to do it.

By the By, I don't these kids were working on spec; I think it was an act of kindness "for the old people" down the street.

Aside: MoSup was listening to the kids next door talking with their visiting cousins. One said, "We have very nice neighbors; an elderly couple."

Anonymous said...

When I lived in the Chicago burbs, my neighbors got divorced -- she got the house, natch -- and I used to clear her driveway because a.) it was short, b.) it was right next to mine, and c.) I was out there already. I did that for an entire winter, and never got Word One of thanks.

No wonder he left her.

Kim

Anonymous said...

When my neighbors learned I had terminal cancer and was on chemotherapy, the man next door and the one across the street began to clear my driveway and sidewalk unbidden. We give them baked goods from time to time, and I am grateful.
PvtCdr(SS) MichigammeDave

Anonymous said...

Why didn't you call the police and Town Hall? They can't do that!!! Where is their work permit and insurance certificate? Do they have a tax number and a certificate stating that they have passed the course in shovel safty? What's next, people doing random acts of kindness without any government intervention? What are we coming to as a country??? Oh the humanity!!!

Anonymous said...


What great kids!

Hope they come to appreciate the generosity of RKoF when he handed them those two, brand new, shiny quarters.

That way they'll always remember that old bastard, who lived next door!

Geo

Anonymous said...

I suppose in most places this is considered out of place, here in God's Country, no I ain't tellin', we don't need any more good neighbors here.. ;-) Here, waht you describe, would be considered the norm, out in the country anyway, tho' most of us have no driveway to clear and if we do, we'd have the proper equipment, like a skidsteer loader, but... what makes this country so great is that we ALL help each other out all the time... all our cattle working is a communal deal with neighbors helping neighbors.. there are no homeless or underfed.. we take care of each other, even if we don't really like each other all that well, it';s the rule, even tho' it is unwritten..not bragging, just letting you know that it amazes me that more people don't do as we do.. I guess we are just old fashioned and clannish, but it must come with the job because after Atlas when thousands upon thousands of cattle died last fall, many ranchers from all over the country, and farmers too, donated money and livestock to help those who had suffered such great losses... it was a bit peevish that the rest of the country really never heard anything of the losses...some lost up to 80% of their herds .. and no, ranchers, at least us family ranchers are not rich, at least not in what most consider wealth, but I do take pride in my fellow ranchers and farmers and good folks out there... Good for them boys. When we do a kindness, we don't need thanks, tho' it's nice, we really are doing it for our own good... a kindness is never wasted.. and theirs wasn't.

Helly said...

That's a heart-warming story, Rodge. I have one for you too.

Today there is only one state in America with no snow.

*FLORIDA*FLORIDA*FLORIDA*

Anonymous said...

Back when we lived in West By God Virginia, I told the oldest son to get outside and shovel the driveway. 20 minutes later I walk out with my coffee and catch him finishing up our neighbor's drive while mine was still covered. WTH? You were supposed to do ours, I told him. Well, he answered, the neighbor's driveway is shorter.

He gets his strong sense of logic from his mom, apparently.

Dodgeman

SondraK said...

Since we have no children I decided that we are going to leave our stuff to the first kid that comes up and says Mr. SondraK, can I mow your lawn for you? Or Mrs. SondraK, can I help you drag that body out to the beach?

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