YETMO

"Help your neighbor day"

Community carping. We got our share. Seems as though every time I pick up this paper I see in the "Letters to the Editor" section that someone's calling someone else a low life, advising Gore partisans to get over it, or imploring dissatisfied denizens to leave. Or there's an article where an elected official quarrels with a County civil servant and both are impugning the other's integrity.

Before long, we'll be witnessing duels at high noon, complete with Cable TV coverage, in-depth news analysis, and pictures from every possible gory angle.

Looks like the September 11th brotherhood movement is passe already. Of course, this should surprise absolutely no one. We demonstrate short-term niceness in cycles as short as our washing machine's.

Ah, but there are exceptions -- wonderful, bright exceptions.

One of the residents in my community is famous for his "Help your neighbor day" endeavors. Once every week, he assists fellow residents with anything from removal of a pesky snake to hanging Christmas lights to advising young children and their father (that would be I) not to sit close to high-water collection ponds lest one wishes to become alligator bait.

This neighbor, whom we'll refer to as what's-his-name, probably did more public works projects last year than the entire Palm Coast City government. There I go again. Carping. Not really. I'm only kidding, but you get the point.

It's so easy to complain, criticize, and carp. I do it too often, striving to raise these vices to an art form. The only problem is that such aspirations are not elevating. They're enervating.

It's a whole 'nother ballgame to get involved, roll up your sleeves, help a neighbor, and make a difference. In fact, I can't think of anything more positive, loving, or valuable to a community.

I noticed some pine debris laying on the sidewalk on a main road near my home. Everyday I'd drive by and think: "That looks terrible. Maybe I should bring my broom next time and clean it up a tad." Days went by, but the thought -- and only the thought -- stayed.

One day I saw what's-his-name and his wife hard at work, gas-powered blower in hand, spiffing-up our public easement so that you, I, and others could ride bikes or stroll unimpeded.

I called to thank him and his wife for their responsiveness and thoughtfulness. His wife answered. She was pleasant. She said you're welcome, or some other such socially appropriate response. But I could tell that it was no big deal for her -- or probably him. They may have even been somewhat embarrassed over being "found out" by me.

It's folks like these who add to the positive quality of community life. Yet it's precisely folks like these whom we never hear about because they don't want to or need to be heard about. They just want to help. They just want to do.

So, once a week, what's-his-name, and his wife, will continue to help others in need, pick up trash in the street before you ever see it, or aid some who's unable or unwilling to do for him or herself.

I hope someday I'll be infected by whatever bug they have, so that I can do my small part to help make my neighborhood or town just a little cleaner, nicer or better.

But just like that pine debris along the roadside, I'll probably merely keep thinking about it day after day after day while the true community heroes merely go about doing it quietly and deliberately.

Thanks, neighbor.