WORKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD

There are many people in our neighborhood with diverse professions.  There are insurance agents, physicians, pharmacists, computer software experts, and salespeople, among others.  All of these individuals not only excelled in their respective fields but are also accomplished in other areas. For many retirees, this is a way to make the most of their newfound leisure time.

The other day, my neighbor Steve came over for a beer, and he noticed that we had a new door installed in our basement to create an additional bedroom.  We still needed a craftsman to put what is called “mud” on the wall so we could paint over the screws that held the drywall in place. I felt sorry for Steve. Poor guy is a retired pharmacist and now has no prescriptions to fill, so I let him fill the holes in my wall.  He was here every day for a week. I assume he was grateful, but he never really thanked me.

While this was going on, Mary Ellen had asked on FB if anyone knew a good seamstress for a dress she wanted altered. Laura, also retired, called my wife and said she was very accomplished at this sort of thing and would be happy to do the sewing, Free of charge, of course. Mary Ellen was hesitant to accept this offer, but I insisted she do so. Laura (along with her husband, Bob) has been very nice to us, so we felt we owed her this favor. We decided to let her do it. She deserved it.

So far, we have had no out-of-pocket expenses, except for Steve, with whom I shared a case of Blue Moon. If my wall could get plastered, so could Steve and I.

The next day, our clothes dryer went on the fritz, so on my daily jog around the block, I told everyone I passed that the Wolfsies needed an appliance repairman. Tom, a retired automobile salesman from down the street, called and said it was probably just the heating element, and told me he could replace it. He enjoys tinkering.  I knew he was desperately looking for something to occupy his time. Giving him the opportunity was the least I could do.

A couple of days later, Mary Ellen was grappling with an issue related to long-term care, which necessitated a conversation with our lawyer, who is paid by the hour. I once again began my trot around the neighborhood. To each person I passed, I casually mentioned our dilemma. That night, I received a call from our neighbor, healthcare expert Dave, offering some complimentary advice. I figured he needed something else to keep him busy on the weekends. I let him help us.

 Mary Ellen felt guilty about accepting yet another freebie, but I convinced her that this was a magnanimous gesture on our part, a way of helping our friends feel useful in their retirement.

Later that month, I let Eric fix a leaky pipe, I permitted Paul to tune up my lawn mower, and Rahul was offered the opportunity to put my computer back online.

Am I a great neighbor, or what?

Dick Wolfsie is a retired TV personality, author, speaker, teacher and all-around good guy. His award-winning column appears here weekly. If you’d like to learn more about joining Dick on an upcoming trip to Costa Rica, go to this paper’s website and click on the Collette Travel ads.