Love thy neighbor

Maybe I should have been a preacher. I feel a sermon coming on. Actually, my role in life may be what one of my loving fans called me. She jokingly said, “George! You often serve mankind as an unelected trouble maker.”

This week, the column will be short for two reasons. First, I neglected to send it in on time and, secondly, we were dealing what affected most of us locals. We got snowed in. That reminded me of something I think about often.

Because it is part of my reporting duties to read many 911 calls and emergency lines, I know a high percentage of those yells for help are from people complaining about their neighbors. A low percentage are justified; however, many are not. It seems the world has folks who have nothing better to do than find silly, inane, unjustified things wrong with the people next door. The Daily Inter Lake runs a sample list every day. Read them for a week and you’ll know what I am talking about.

It is different where Iris and I have lived for 47 years. Here are a few examples. When we had the big water problems of 96-97, our neighbor to the west came over to help with our flooded basement. He drilled holes in the cement sump and helped me get a pump going. It took several hours of hard work, but it saved my sanity and plenty of money.

To our east is a home for handicapped youth. We have never had one iota of trouble from them, only consideration and help. Last summer, they were worried about our house being unusually lit up late at night and asked the police to come check and make sure we were alright.

The couple to the north raised two wonderful little girls who grew up being delightful neighbors and became doctors. That couple drags our large plastic garbage can out through the snow 70 yards to Woodland Ave. for pickup, and we help them in smaller ways.

The man to the south owns an apartment complex. He reacted immediately in helping me remove large trees, which died along our mutual fence line.

Now for one of the greatest help stories. When the big snow hit last week, someone plowed out that 70 yard driveway when we weren’t looking, but had to leave a pile of snow that was too much for Iris or I to shovel. So, we called our neighbor to the northeast for rescue. He said he was not the one who plowed the driveway, but as long as we didn’t know who did, he was going to take full credit. Fifteen minutes later, he was over to remove that small pile of snow “he had left.”

A little later, another northeast neighbor showed up to apologize for leaving the pile, but said he’d had trouble with his plow. To make up for that problem, he brought me a bottle of “medicine” which said “fine brandy” on the label.

All this kindness in our little Kalispell community did not start when I went into my advanced maturity. It has been like this since day one.

There is a simple message in my recollections of thoughtfulness from the neighbors. “To have good neighbors, you have to be a good neighbor.” It would be great if those complaining about folks calling 911 night and day gave that message a bit more thought. For better and for worse, I love my neighbors.

END OF SERMON – HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

G. George Ostrom is an award-winning columnist. He lives in Kalispell.