Last week end on my daily walk to get the paper, I went past a house across the road only 5 blocks up from my home to see a garage sale was on. Not one to refuse a look to see if there any decent gardening gear.
I have lived here for 16 years now and I am pretty sure the person in that house has been here the entire time. I have never seen him. He was elderly, they lawn was always cut, the place tiny and neat, the men's shed HUGE, so I assume he spend most of the time in that.
All the people manning the sale looked to be in their 60's-70's and I hesitantly asked what happened to the man.
He had passed away. I guilty left feeling like the worst neighbour ever, how is it possible to not even talk to your neighbour, to not have clue who they are for 16 years?
I have no idea, I have walked past that house I would estimate well over 80,000 times as I walk twice a day usually past there. I never can recall seeing him. As I left the sale I passed a broken down wheelbarrow, I asked and found it could be mine for as little as $5. I rushed home got my money rushed back and toddled home with a wheelbarrow that bumped every turn of the wheel.
This is what I did with it and put out the front of my home to honour the nameless man from small house up the road, a kindred soul who also liked to garden in his backyard anyway. May you rest in peace. I wish I'd had the chance to at least say g'day.
