My Neighbor

Other than having more than the usual amount of stuff surrounding her house and in her carport, it’s been nice having Clara living across the street. You name it and you can bet Clara has it and what’s more, she’s willing to give you anything she has. I can’t decide if she would be considered a hoarder or is she just a thrifty person? I read that hoarders acquire possession that are of limited value and they are reluctant to part with them. Clara’s generosity is possibly what keeps her out of the “hoarder” category.

The first time I went in Clara’s house I was looking all over the place, wanting to take it all in, yet trying not to be obvious. I had NEVER seen so much stuff in so many places and piled so high, as it is in Clara’s house. Indescribable! All I could think about was pictures. This was all too darn interesting not to document with pictures. I wondered how a person could go about asking someone to let them take pictures of the inside of their house??? If only I knew the answer to that one.

Nothing is ever wasted at Clara’s house. She takes every juice bottle, milk bottle or any other plastic drink container that she’s used, and fills it half full with water. She leaves the bottles on her table for a few days, pours the water on her plants and puts the container in her recycle bin. Every piece of rotten fruit, vegetable or egg shell is thrown around her plants for fertilizer. Once she told me that she puts the hair out of her hairbrush on her roses. I know, that's just too much information!

Summer before last, I needed some extra jars for the Monarch caterpillars I was collecting. Clara had all I needed and then some left over. This summer when I needed jars I knew right where to go. Clara doesn’t throw a glass jar away because “you never know when somebody might need one.” True, I’ve needed them two years in a row and she’s had plenty. No doubt her inventory of jars will be replenished by next summer and if I need some, I’ll be knocking on her door and know I won’t be disappointed.

When I mentioned to Clara that I was going to buy some clay pots she showed me the stash she had rescued out of someone’s garbage. She said to take all I wanted. If I need a postage stamp, Clara has them in every denomination they come in and will give me one or sell me how many I need. If I mention someone is having a birthday, she is quick to ask if I need a card to send. She has boxes of them for every occasion and little Valentines as well. She even has a vast assortment of stickers that she likes to fancy up her envelopes with, and has offered those to me as well

Come yard sale time, Clara has the neatest little fold-up table that she loans me. It’s a perfect size and very light weight, making it easy for me to tote to my house. The trick is getting it out of her shed. It takes both of us to move enough stuff so we can get the table out. I don’t dare try to put it back by myself. I prop it by the shed and in time it disappears. I know it’s back in its proper place because that’s how she keeps order with the chaos. As much stuff/junk as she has, she knows where everything is and it is always put back where it belongs.

Not just for all she has that she will give or loan to me so freely, but for all she so willingly takes off my hands, makes it wonderful having Clara for a neighbor. I used to set stuff by the curb in case someone wanted it. The item would magically disappear within the hour and reappear under Clara’s carport or in her yard. After this happened a few times,I thought I’d make it convenient for her and started taking my unwanted items over to her house. Clara has never turned anything down, and says that if she can’t use it she’ll find someone who can. Even so, she doesn’t strike me as a matchmaker for her treasures so I’m not sure how often she actually goes looking for someone who can use what I give her. I think once an object reaches its destination in her house, it stays there.

An old couch no one wanted and I needed out of my house was toted to Clara’s. When we replaced our mattress set, Clara took the old one. Old shelves, a dining table, assorted mismatched dishes, Christmas mugs, a large plastic tub, old toys and other odds and ends have all ended up in her possession. It doesn’t matter if something is broken, Clara will take it. I recently sat an old broken wicker chair out by the curb for the garbage man to haul off. Within the hour Clara was looking at the chair. Broken beyond repair and not safe to sit in, she still wanted it and there it sits by her carport.

If you could define someone's personality by their garbage can, mine would say that I’m an “if you don’t need it, toss it” kind of person. (Watch out Jim! HA HA!) Clara’s would say, ”use it or keep it until you can find a use for it.” On rare occasions when we have company or forget to put our garbage out, we end up with a can that’s overflowing. That’s when it really comes in handy having Clara for a neighbor. There’s always plenty of room in Clara’s can and she graciously allows me to share the space with her. Just one more perk to living across the street from a hoarder/thrifty person.