- We did not really know our 11 -year -old neighbor until my husband asked to borrow his truck.
- He not only said yes, but accompanied him in his race. Subsequently, he came to dinner.
- We are always friends to date, and it is a grandfather figure for our children.
My husband and I found a chasm in our backyard. When we received a high offer to repair it, we decided to DIY The project Depending on the detailed instructions of our friend.
The work required a few tonnes of dirt – more than our Subaru Forester could not transport. My husband had watched our neighbor’s truck in the aisle. Even if we lived next to each other for 11 years, I really knew that his name was Gary and that he was a single to the retirement. Meanwhile, we had not exchanged more than neighborhood waves and a small friendly conversation. I feared that asking him to help us transporting dirt was too much demand.
It turned out to be one of the best things we have ever done.
Gary was outside that day, watering his plants, and he voluntarily stopped to chat with my husband. He quickly proposed to help when my husband asked for his help, apparently not disturbed by the 20 -minute journey or the three meters of dirt placed in his virgin truck.
It was the beginning of our friendship.
He stayed for dinner and was mainly part of our family
My husband gassed Gary’s truck, inflated the tires and washed the bed. Thanking you, I invited him to stay for dinner. To my surprise, he said yes. I feared that our courageous children act a baccalaureate and that the chicken I was doing was too dry. But Gary was pleasant about everything, children harassing him with questions (including “How old are you?”) To the dog constantly licking him.
At the end of the evening, my husband said that Gary told him that he was in a new phase – he wanted to be more open to what life had caused his way. Our request for help had given him the opportunity to say yes.
That first Dinner together leads to more. When we discovered that Gary’s family was in Boston and that he would spend the holidays alone, we invited him to join our big noisy family for the action of graces and Christmas dinner. To my surprise continues, he accepted. We also invited ourselves to spending the Christmas morning with our family, and filled a bottom with chocolates, coffee, mints and other treats. And when we discovered that his birthday was three days after Christmas, my 6 year old daughter and I made him a cake and gave him more chocolate while the family dog doubted him with kisses.
Over time, it has become a Grandfather figure to my children. By thinking about our friendship, it is wild to think that we live next to Gary for more than 10 years before knowing him. The same goes for another neighbor on our street. She and I are now close friends thanks to our mutual love for writing. We too had been neighbors for more than a decade before we learned our shared passion. I would like us to get to know our neighbors earlier, but I am always grateful for their friendships.
We like our children to grow up with a feeling of community
For Gary, our family fills this gap created by a distant family. He even asked for a photo of us to share with his parents from Boston when he visited them recently. Our maple dog greets him with enthusiasm on every occasion. He plays Catch with our toddler. Our 7 -year -old child asks him to throw her in the air or look at his last gymnastics round, while our 12 -year -old child guarantees that we never forget about our nocturnal walks.
I believe that neighborhood relations teach our children how to pursue improbable friendships and take care of others outside their interior circles. It is one of the greatest gifts in their childhood to know neighbors like Gary. And think that everything has happened because he said yes to an invitation of racing and annoying dinner.
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