Thursday, January 15, 2004
Sidewalks & Civility
A pet peeve of mine this winter has been (new) neighbors who don't shovel their sidewalks. Within the past couple years, two houses on my block sold to BSU faculty members who converted what had been single family homes into rental properties, primarily for college students. Although we have a city ordinance specifiying that property owners are responsible for timely snow removal, the landlords have been quick to pass the buck to their student tenants. The tenants meanwhile maintain that it isn't their responsibility (or they don't have a shovel...landlords?). Bottom line is that in a neighborhood of walkers where everyone shovels we now have two stretches of walk that routinely go unshoveled. Seems to me that the civility of a town can accurately be assessed by the provisions made for walkers -- who are most often old, young, poor, and/or disabled. Maybe its time for the city to put some teeth in its ordinance?
Anyway, as I was out shoveling yesterday before my radiation appointment (and muttering under my breath about the incivility of non-shovelers), a bundled up guy came walking up the street from a neighbor's house with shovel in hand. I didn't know him and he introduced himself as the son of an nice old neighbor (until recently a devoted sidewalk traveller). Turns out that the old man is in hospice and is expected to die any day. His son is here from Chicago to help his mom and to spend time with his dad. His mom told him that I had recently "had a tough diagnosis" and so he came up th block to offer a hand with my shovelling! Restored my flagging faith in human civility. He had a bout with cancer 20+ years ago and just wanted to do whatever he could to help. The shovelling was actually going good for me so we just had a long chat. Basking in the pleasure of our conversation I forgot to take my pre-treatment sedative and consequently had another bad experience with the damnable mask! But, with the sedative, today went much better -- and more importantly I am halfway done -- 9 down, 9 to go! /dps
Anyway, as I was out shoveling yesterday before my radiation appointment (and muttering under my breath about the incivility of non-shovelers), a bundled up guy came walking up the street from a neighbor's house with shovel in hand. I didn't know him and he introduced himself as the son of an nice old neighbor (until recently a devoted sidewalk traveller). Turns out that the old man is in hospice and is expected to die any day. His son is here from Chicago to help his mom and to spend time with his dad. His mom told him that I had recently "had a tough diagnosis" and so he came up th block to offer a hand with my shovelling! Restored my flagging faith in human civility. He had a bout with cancer 20+ years ago and just wanted to do whatever he could to help. The shovelling was actually going good for me so we just had a long chat. Basking in the pleasure of our conversation I forgot to take my pre-treatment sedative and consequently had another bad experience with the damnable mask! But, with the sedative, today went much better -- and more importantly I am halfway done -- 9 down, 9 to go! /dps
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