After four-months, two buyers, one-storage unit, and many boxes packed, unpacked and now packed again, we have finally sold our home. As of last Thursday, it no longer belongs to us and now we’re under the gun to pack it up (again) and move forward. Even though most of our stuff can fit in oversized cardboard boxes and moving trucks, there are a few things I can’t take with me that I’m going to miss deeply, our neighbors.
Last year when the windstorm stole our electricity for a few days, I was trying to make my way out of the house with my 5-year old daughter at 8 a.m. I was at the height (width?) of my pregnancy and it was all I could do to wobble from point A to point B. As I opened our front door to usher my daughter to the car, our cat, Zebra, darted into the house like he was running from the police.
My daughter shrieked in terror, “Zebra’s got something blue in his mouth.”
I could only imagine what my cat was running through our house with as he sped through the kitchen and down the stairs to our basement. At the time, our basement was in demo-mode. There was wall paneling stacked on the floor, rolls of carpet that had been pulled up, and a hundred nooks and crannies where a cat could hide. To top it off, there was no electricity to light the basement and look for him amidst all the refinishing rubbish.
I left my daughter standing in our front door and chased our cat as fast as an eight-month pregnant woman can chase. Zebra had run into our bedroom (the only finished part of the basement) and was hovering over what appeared to be a flapping, barely alive bluebird just inside the door.
The poor bird was obviously close to death and making faint chirping sounds while wacking one of its wings against our floor. Zebra sat perched in front of it to guard his catch. It was like a “Twilight Zone” episode of Tweety and Sylvester, only in color.
At eight months pregnant, the sight of the halfway dead bird that was about to be eaten by our cat in our bedroom almost caused me to throw up on the cat, the bird, and the newly installed bedroom carpet.
I kicked at my cat to get it as far away as possible from its prey; and, then stood above it trying to figure out what my next move was going to be.
When we had tried to leave that morning, I noticed that my neighbor across the street from me was buzzing about in her driveway. I yelled as loud as I could at my daughter to ask the neighbor if she could help mommy, ‘Right away!’
She came right over expecting me to be in labor only to find me gagging and pointing down at the bluebird.
“Would you help me get this bird out of my house before the cat has it for breakfast? I can’t do it, I think I’m going to be sick,” I felt like the biggest, helpless, girlie girl in all the world. Seriously, I’m not the type to ask for help all that often. I kill my own spiders and usually don’t have a problem with removing other dead rodents that our cat leaves on our back patio. But the sight of this massacred animal on top of the fact that I could barely bend over made it impossible for me to remove the paraplegic songbird.
Without a thought or hesitation, my neighbor grabbed an old towel and had the bird gone before my nausea. How often do you have a neighbor that will dispose of an almost dead body for you? How do you repay a favor like that? I have no idea, but her swift actions will be remembered.
I’ve lived on my street since I was five years old and have had the great fortune of knowing two of my neighbors from the very start. A few came later (around ages 12 and 13); and, I met the neighbor who removed the dead bird for me just four years ago when I moved back into my childhood home. I look forward to meeting new neighbors, but will undoubtedly miss my current crew with all my heart.
Amy Gesenhues is a freelance writer who lives in Floyd County. You can read her daily commentaries at www.AmyWroteIt.Wordpress.com. E-mail her directly at amy@amywroteit.com.
Columns
Related Photos
Discussion
GESENHUES: Like a good neighbor
- Columns
-
-
CLERE: Walkout is absurd
The walkout by Indiana House Democrats entered its third week yesterday as tensions continued to rise and misinformation proliferated.
-
LADD: New Albany has new energy
New Albany is evolving. Public art has become more prevalent in the downtown, drawing more locals and outside visitors to our community; bringing more publicity.
-
HOWEY: Brooks, Walorski take aim at GOP glass ceiling
Susan Brooks’ 5th District campaign conducted internal polling in mid-April and the news was disheartening. She trailed the frontrunner — former congressman David McIntosh — by 20 points. Twenty points?
-
CUMMINS: Life was simpler before the iStuff
God set up a time line for us, which encompasses the past, the present and the future. You can’t escape any of these. If you’re here, there or somewhere, you have a past and a future, but you’re actually, at this moment, living in the present and you’re probably holding something in your hand.
-
HAYDEN: Readers respond to voter turnout question
Like others who contacted me, she said she was weary of nasty campaigns and worn out by news of corrupt politicians.
Here’s why she did make the effort: “I try to focus on all the women who sacrificed so much for women to be able to vote, and for the privilege of living in a country where we are free to vote as we choose.” -
DODD: Paying unfairly for the past
-
STAWAR: Can parents attach too much?
On this issue there is even more disagreement. While attached bassinets are considered to be fine, co-sleeping, is opposed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The possibility of accidentally suffocating or crushing the infant and an increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) has been often cited as a reason to avoid this practice.
-
HARBESON: The compromising nature of compromise
But there’s nothing inherently wrong with the concept of compromise. This is simply an example of how government coercion can skew and twist any concept beyond its original meaning and purpose.
-
RESCHKE: My Amazing Ohio River Bridges Project Plan
The point of sharing this memory is that once we have tolls, they will be there for as long as the bridges exist and the dollar price for frequent commuters that’s been proposed is the cheapest those tolls will ever be.
-
MOORE: The system can still work
On the local scene, services like Jerry Westmoreland’s recovery services, Bliss House, the Drug Courts (adult and juvenile) and the like are proper uses of this alcohol and drug fund money. Families in need due to a member having an addiction that affects all of them seem appropriate beneficiaries, too.
- More Columns Headlines
-
Robin Gibb of Bee Gees Dies at 62
Protesters, Police Clash at NATO Summit
Raw Video: NATO Protesters Face-off With Police
Libyan Convicted in Lockerbie Bombing Is Dead
NATO Chief: 'No Rush for Exits' in Afghanistan.
Obama Pushes for Post-2014 Vision for Afghanista
Raw Video: Demonstrations Ahead of NATO Summit
Raw Video: Powerful Quake in Northern Italy
G-8 Seeks Unity on Euro-debt Crisis, Iran
Mary Kennedy Mourned at Private Funeral in NY
Prosecutors: Trio Planned to Attack Obama's HQ
Blind Chinese Activist Arrives in NY
G-8 Leaders Hope Greece Remains in Eurozone
SpaceX President: 'This Is Not Failure'
Blind Chinese Activist Leaves for US
Raw Video: Obama Greets Leaders at Camp David
Big Job: G-8 Tackles Euro Crisis
Raw Video: SpaceX Rocket Launch Aborted in Fla.
Video Surfaces of Alleged Abuse at Kansas School
Verizon to End Unlimited Data Plans
