- Jun 27, 2003
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The Good Neighbor Game
The howling wind awakened Mrs. Potter. She felt toasty underneath her many quilts, but she had to know if the weathermans forecast was right. She flipped back the covers and eased her feet over the side of the bed.
She moved slowly through her darkened bedroom, inched over to the window, pulled open the drapes, and cracked the blind. As she peered through the slit she had mixed emotions.
The snow that blanketed her front yard sparkled like diamonds. The full moon created dancing shadows as the trees moved back and forth in the wind.
Still, all that snow meant work for her in the morning. Work she did not look forward to doing. Of course, she would only have to shovel the snow if her neighbor, Ben Rynierson, did not beat her to it.
Mrs. Potter smiled as she thought of the kindly gentleman who lived next-door. She lingered for a moment as she enjoyed the beautiful scene before her.
Suddenly a chill came over her. She quickly remembered how warm she had been under all those quilts. She closed the drapes, scurried back to bed, and drifted off to sleep.
Several hours later Mrs. Potter was awakened by the sound of a snow shovel.
Its Ben Rynierson again, Im sure, she thought to herself.
Once again, only with plenty of daylight this time, Mrs. Potter flipped back the covers and headed to the window.
Sure enough, Mr. Rynierson, at seventy-six years old, four years her senior, had almost finished clearing her sidewalk.
As she spied on her next-door neighbor, she was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.
Hello. Oh, hi, Molly. No, you dont need to send Jack over to shovel my walk. You know who did it again.
Oh, Molly, quit your kidding. Benjamin Rynierson isnt interested in me. Hes just a good neighbor. Thats all! I just wish hed shovel his own walk first. But Im going to fix him this time.
Oh, its not how Im going to fix him. Its what Im going to fix him. Im going to fix him a big pot of soup. You know Callie always did all the cooking, and Im not sure he always eats well now that shes gone. Well, hell eat well for the next couple of days.
No, you dont have to go to the store for me. Ive got everything I need right here.
Sure, you can stop by later. Just dont go to any trouble. Well, goodbye. See you this afternoon sometime.
Mrs. Potter hung up the phone eager to show Mr. Rynierson that two could play this good neighbor game.
Some time later, armed with a kettle of soup and its pleasant aroma, Mrs. Potter donned her hat, coat, scarf, and a smile, as she headed off on her mission.
Mr. Rynierson had done such a good job of shoveling her sidewalk that she did not slide as she made her way to the house next door.
Why, Katherine Potter! What brings you out on a day like this? Mr. Rynierson asked as he opened his front door.
You do, Ben Rynierson.
Well, whatever for?
Lets just say that I looked out my window this morning and I saw someone shoveling my walk, and he was wearing your coat.
You dont say! Well, Ive always been willing to loan my coat if someone had a need for it.
Im sure you would. And wasnt it convenient that the man was just your size?
I guess it helps to be normal size, Katherine. So many people dont keep in shape these days.
Shoveling snow always keeps a person in shape if they dont overdo it. Of course, I never get a chance to find out, because someone always shovels my walk before I get a chance. You know how that is, dont you, Ben?
Of course, but those things happen sometimes, Katherine.
They do, Benjamin, but then it leaves me with so much time on my hands that I have to do something. This morning I decided to make some soup. Its hard to make soup for one person, and I didnt want the rest of the soup to go to waste.
Smells mighty good, Katherine.
The vegetables are as fresh as I could get this time of year. By the way, Ben, do you need anything from the store? Mollys coming over later.
You sure it wouldnt be any trouble?
Not at all. You know Molly. Shed be delighted.
Well, I didnt know Id be eating soup today, and I like crackers with my soup. Do you think she could pick up a box for me?
I dont know. You know how heavy a box of crackers is. But I imagine shell be able to manage somehow, Mrs. Potter replied as she smiled.
That night it snowed again, though not as much as the night before. The next morning Mr. Rynierson awakened to the sound of someone shoveling snow.
He looked out the window and saw that Mrs. Potter had almost finished shoveling his walk. He hastily went to the phone to call another neighbor to find out how someone would go about making homemade soup.
=====
Steve Demaree
1608 Summerhill Drive
Lexington, KY 40515
(606) 271-2416
moviesteve@rocketmail.com
Submitted by Richard
The howling wind awakened Mrs. Potter. She felt toasty underneath her many quilts, but she had to know if the weathermans forecast was right. She flipped back the covers and eased her feet over the side of the bed.
She moved slowly through her darkened bedroom, inched over to the window, pulled open the drapes, and cracked the blind. As she peered through the slit she had mixed emotions.
The snow that blanketed her front yard sparkled like diamonds. The full moon created dancing shadows as the trees moved back and forth in the wind.
Still, all that snow meant work for her in the morning. Work she did not look forward to doing. Of course, she would only have to shovel the snow if her neighbor, Ben Rynierson, did not beat her to it.
Mrs. Potter smiled as she thought of the kindly gentleman who lived next-door. She lingered for a moment as she enjoyed the beautiful scene before her.
Suddenly a chill came over her. She quickly remembered how warm she had been under all those quilts. She closed the drapes, scurried back to bed, and drifted off to sleep.
Several hours later Mrs. Potter was awakened by the sound of a snow shovel.
Its Ben Rynierson again, Im sure, she thought to herself.
Once again, only with plenty of daylight this time, Mrs. Potter flipped back the covers and headed to the window.
Sure enough, Mr. Rynierson, at seventy-six years old, four years her senior, had almost finished clearing her sidewalk.
As she spied on her next-door neighbor, she was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.
Hello. Oh, hi, Molly. No, you dont need to send Jack over to shovel my walk. You know who did it again.
Oh, Molly, quit your kidding. Benjamin Rynierson isnt interested in me. Hes just a good neighbor. Thats all! I just wish hed shovel his own walk first. But Im going to fix him this time.
Oh, its not how Im going to fix him. Its what Im going to fix him. Im going to fix him a big pot of soup. You know Callie always did all the cooking, and Im not sure he always eats well now that shes gone. Well, hell eat well for the next couple of days.
No, you dont have to go to the store for me. Ive got everything I need right here.
Sure, you can stop by later. Just dont go to any trouble. Well, goodbye. See you this afternoon sometime.
Mrs. Potter hung up the phone eager to show Mr. Rynierson that two could play this good neighbor game.
Some time later, armed with a kettle of soup and its pleasant aroma, Mrs. Potter donned her hat, coat, scarf, and a smile, as she headed off on her mission.
Mr. Rynierson had done such a good job of shoveling her sidewalk that she did not slide as she made her way to the house next door.
Why, Katherine Potter! What brings you out on a day like this? Mr. Rynierson asked as he opened his front door.
You do, Ben Rynierson.
Well, whatever for?
Lets just say that I looked out my window this morning and I saw someone shoveling my walk, and he was wearing your coat.
You dont say! Well, Ive always been willing to loan my coat if someone had a need for it.
Im sure you would. And wasnt it convenient that the man was just your size?
I guess it helps to be normal size, Katherine. So many people dont keep in shape these days.
Shoveling snow always keeps a person in shape if they dont overdo it. Of course, I never get a chance to find out, because someone always shovels my walk before I get a chance. You know how that is, dont you, Ben?
Of course, but those things happen sometimes, Katherine.
They do, Benjamin, but then it leaves me with so much time on my hands that I have to do something. This morning I decided to make some soup. Its hard to make soup for one person, and I didnt want the rest of the soup to go to waste.
Smells mighty good, Katherine.
The vegetables are as fresh as I could get this time of year. By the way, Ben, do you need anything from the store? Mollys coming over later.
You sure it wouldnt be any trouble?
Not at all. You know Molly. Shed be delighted.
Well, I didnt know Id be eating soup today, and I like crackers with my soup. Do you think she could pick up a box for me?
I dont know. You know how heavy a box of crackers is. But I imagine shell be able to manage somehow, Mrs. Potter replied as she smiled.
That night it snowed again, though not as much as the night before. The next morning Mr. Rynierson awakened to the sound of someone shoveling snow.
He looked out the window and saw that Mrs. Potter had almost finished shoveling his walk. He hastily went to the phone to call another neighbor to find out how someone would go about making homemade soup.
=====
Steve Demaree
1608 Summerhill Drive
Lexington, KY 40515
(606) 271-2416
moviesteve@rocketmail.com
Submitted by Richard
