Le Jardin de ma Vie: Day 13: Our neighbor BFFs

Several summers ago I was tearing the plaster and blow-in insulation out of the second story of our farm house, by myself. My farmer had pulled a loader tractor up to one of the windows to haul away the debris. Then, he left, promising to return in a couple of hours.

It didn't take long to fill the bucket. My farmer was long gone, doing more important farmer things and not responding to my calls for help. It was early June and they were probably spraying.

My work came to a stand still. I've spent my fair share in the buddy seat of our tractors, but I've never learned to drive. Nor have I wanted to learn, until that day. Needless to say, I was frustrated.

Then he pulled in the drive, our neighbor, like an angel from heaven. I poked my head out of my son's window with my dust mask, safety goggles, and hat on, looking like an alien, and asked our neighbor if he had seen or heard from my farmer. He said yes and he was there to borrow my tractor. WHAT?!

He giggled, emptied the bucket, pulled the tractor back up to the window, and said he'd be back for the tractor after lunch.

His wife and I were friends before they moved a half mile up the road six years ago. She has since become one of my BFFs. We've spent many nights listening and dancing to our favorite band and laughing in each other's kitchens. I've gotten to know her California family very well.

We've learned that when calls to our spouses go unanswered, to ask the other's husband to call. They always respond to one another. It's helpful when trying to plan a night out.

Being neighborly and helpful goes both ways. One night, I was driving home from class. It was about 10 p.m. When I drove by, it looked like our neighbors were moving out. I noticed, but didn't want to be nosey. I kept going and told myself not to worry.

The next morning, I saw I had missed a call from my neighbor BFF. We weren't able to connect until later that day when I was on my way home from work. She needed a favor. She needed me to come smell her house.

A skunk had made its way in from an old cistern on the edge of their property up through the drain in their basement. The animal control person they had called caught it, but not before it sprayed. She had cleaned and cleaned and was worried the smell was still in the house.

Of course I'll come smell your house. Isn't that what rural neighbors and friends are for?