New Stoop

Something happened yesterday that was a pleasant surprise. In the replacing of the curbs, the city is also taking great care to replace landings to walkways that lead up to front doors. Whatever you have they are faithfully returning. I had a street stoop that was made of ornamental concrete pavers (cheap ones), because it was easy for me to assemble and the cement portion of my front steps and walkway stopped before reaching the curb. A couple of days ago the city engineer stopped by to assure me that they would return pavers as best they could, and I thanked him. But low and behold this morning they had a change of heart and gave me a concrete slab! Nice. This has freed up the pavers for other uses like a little lip under the new gate on the garage side of my fence, and even enough to create a platform for my recycling bin and garbage can to sit on! Waste not and want not, eh? So while I was out moving the pavers, a young black man came walking up the street and engaged my attention. He had a distinctive accent and so I learned that he was new to the United States from the Cameroon. It seems his car over heated, and he was in need of water for the radiator. No problem. I got him a plastic pitcher and helped him to fill it a couple of times--his car was pulled over on the next block. Each time he returned he was so grateful. How humbling, to be thanked repeatedly and sincerely over something as simple as a little water...