Saturday, February 7, 2015

Neighborly

My neighbor is wearing shorts while shoveling snow,
And I ask myself,
"Why?
Why is he shoveling snow in his shorts?
Is he from Alaska?
Does he have a high tolerance for cold?
Is hypothermia setting in?
Is he a mutant?"

These are the questions that go through
A neighbor's mind.

Then I am reminded of
The second great commandment -
To love thy neighbor as thyself,
And I wonder what interrogations 
I should perform on myself.
What ridiculously absurd beams
Do I have in my life 
Compared to this mote of winter clothing choices in his?

None come to mind.

I finish shoveling my driveway,
Or rather, that of a single mother's around the corner
Since a more financially stable neighbor
With a mammoth snow blower
Has already taken care of mine and the elderly neighbor's next door 
(I guess he did mine since I'm the neighbor with little kids), and
I walk past this short-clad neighbor,
Comment on the weather,
And offer a hand, 
Which he appreciates
But declines.

He bids me,
"Have a good night,"
Though it's 11am,
And I'm now convinced 
hypothermia is setting in.

"You too,"
I reply,
Walking away.

And I realize he's probably asking himself,
"Why is that guy wearing snow pants?
And a high school drama club sweatshirt 
Underneath an unzipped 2nd sweatshirt?
Is he a thespian wuss?
And why is a grown man wearing a -
What is that - a Yoda hat?"

Yes it is, neighbor.

Let's call it even.



2 comments:

  1. Hahaha. Life in a snow sculpture animated with audible thoughts, word pictures, and actions of kindness as well as plain and simple oddities

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