Episode 42: Hedges, Part 1

A warm and welcoming day greets you as you step out of your house and onto your porch, on your way down the block to your neighbor Edwin’s house. There, several of his friends from the Railroad Club have organized a cleanup of his yard, since Edwin has been struggling to keep up with the demands of his home for the past several months. The snowpack from this long winter has fully melted away, and the world is damp and muddy as the trees and plants gather their energy for the coming spring. You hear finches calling to each other across the Neighborful Valley. You brush your fingertips over the porch railing next to you, noticing how much dirt and dust has accumulated over the cold months. You bring your travel mug of hot tea to your lips, taking a sip of peppermint and honey, and you feel your belly rise as you draw in a crisp breath.

When you arrive in front of Edwin’s house, the work crew is already in full swing. Kerri is up on a ladder, reattaching a downspout that had separated from the gutter overhead. Ajmal is standing at the base of the ladder, keeping it steady for Kerri. Darryl sees you approaching, and rests his branch loppers against a tree, as he says, “Hello, You! Are you here to work?”

You say, “Yes, definitely. How can I help?”

Darryl gestures to the pile of brush he has created with the loppers, trimming back some of the decorative shrubs in the yard. He tells you, “We have those big paper bags for the yard debris. If you can start bagging up this stuff, that would be a huge help.” You give him a thumbs up, spotting the pile of paper bags on the edge of the front porch. You set your travel mug next to a motley collection of other people’s mugs, and pull on your gardening gloves as you reach for the first paper bag on the top of the pile.

As you follow Darryl around the yard, bagging up trimmings from the shrubs and hedges, you see Moose introducing himself to DeAndre and Jayda, as their dads Kevin and Tim arrive to help out. Mayor Ashley has climbed up into a dogwood tree to grab a plastic bag that is stuck in the higher branches, while her wife Lauren stands at the base of the tree, looking concerned. You savor the bright scent of the freshly cut branches you are gathering into bags, revealing that while they look gray and lifeless on the outside, their insides are green and ready for spring. You pause in your work for a moment, looking up at the dense forest on the ridgeline with branches just starting to show buds, and as you reach your arms overhead to stretch the muscles in your back, you take a restful breath.

By lunchtime, the yard is looking much improved, with a long row of paper bags sitting by the curb for pickup. Darryl has finished his trimming and is setting up a group of folding camp chairs in a circle, out in the front yard. The sun is peeking through moody clouds overhead, casting shafts of light here and there around the neighborhood.

Darryl reaches into the cooler he has moved next to the circle of chairs as he asks you, “Would you like something to eat? I brought sandwiches and bags of chips from the deli.”

You say, “Yes, thank you, that sounds wonderful,” and you take a sandwich wrapped in paper from him. Ashley and Lauren sit down to your right, gratefully receiving sandwiches of their own, just as Ashley asks Lauren, “Who said that quote I like, about the sound of deadlines whooshing by?”

Lauren answers, “Douglas Adams.”

Ashley beams as she says, “That’s right. Douglas Adams. Anyway, it’s kind of a personal motto for me.”

Fatima arrives just as everyone except for Ajmal and Moose has started eating. She is bearing a beautiful ceramic dish, and she asks the group, “Have you seen Edwin yet?”

Darryl sets aside his food, wiping his mouth, as he replies, “No, not yet.”

Fatima holds out the serving dish, and she says, “I’ve brought some of the rice pudding we will eat tonight when we break the fast. Grace mentioned that Edwin has a sweet tooth. Let’s see if he will answer the door.” With that, she strides past the group, up the front steps and onto the porch, giving the front door a sharp rap. Moments later, the door opens, and the group strains in their seats to see if Edwin steps outside. But Edwin hides behind the door as he opens it, making it look as if the door is magically opening on its own. Fatima steps inside, and the door closes slowly behind her.

Lauren says, “He might be feeling embarrassed that he needed this much help,” and as the group ponders this, you close your eyes and take a thoughtful breath.

The circle of camp chairs has been cleared, and the work group is lingering on the sidewalk chatting, when Fatima emerges empty-handed from Edwin’s house. She makes her way down the front walk, and you realize that along with everyone else, you have been waiting to hear what she has to report.

Fatima smiles sadly as she reaches the group, and she says, “Edwin is grateful for your help, and he feels very badly that he has fallen so far behind in caring for his own home. I think it’s wonderful that we did this today, but he clearly needs more support. This isn’t a one-and-done situation.”

Everyone looks down at their own shoes as they nod in agreement.

Fatima continues, “I’ve been texting with Grace, and we’re going to start visiting him every day if we can. We will need some help making sure we’ve got each day covered.” She looks over at you and asks, “Will you join us for a visit?”

You say, “Yes, I’m happy to join. I don’t know him yet, but he’s a neighbor. This is what we do for each other.”

Fatima’s eyes are misty as she says, “Mashallah, truly, this is what we do for each other.”