Gardens

 

Thoughts from a neighbor and fellow gardener

Richard and Lee came towards each other in a quiet and deliberate way.. That is Rich’s way, not that he moves slowly, but rather he is kinda shy, and I bet more introverted than not.. I learned not only how to Be with him, but loving Being with him, as we were truly opposite.. I think what brought us together was the way we (metaphorically) put our shovels in the ground near each other and found that we liked that and just continued on. It was only a few weeks before he got walloped by that horrible illness that he had returned from taking care of his papa, maybe for 6 or 8 weeks, maybe longer, while his papa underwent treatment for cancer (at 85, I believe) very shortly after Richard’s step mom passed. We sat on one of the stoops he created in his garden and he spoke, quietly, slowly, deliberately, of what that meant.. I recall crossing the street and sobbing- so much richness, kindness, Giving in his deep deep soul...

But even before then at different times I began to offer some flowers, or some seeds or cuttings of flowers, and there was a certain way he held the plants or spoke about them that gave me the good kind of chills.. He was immediately intimate with the particular plant, and then he started going whole hog with seeding his own flowers and veggies and,yep, in his own and Donna’s own style...And what a style it was...I believe Richard was the “Rube Goldberg” of gardening in our community, and if that name does not ring to you, look his name up...It is a true complement- actually, more of a wondering, a delightful wondering.

At the bottom of these observations and feelings is that Richard got lost and found at the same time in his gardening, and that is the most wonderful way any of us can be..I can see his beautiful smile just now as it lights up these words- he so loved getting lost and found- don’t we all!!!

At some point, a few years ago, he and Donna got interested in the community garden, the Cornell Garden on Freese Road, and, man, did he ever assume and assert responsibility.. He was the “water guy”, the most important of the most important, and if he could not get that straight 50 or 60 or more families would see their efforts go kaput.

The painful irony of these 2 colliding events was (is) not lost on those of us who admire, respect, and love such a lovely human being.. But there it was and is.. As those who Loved/Love him know, Life can be downright rotten, but even being rotten, it will not tear away these special special feelings I have for my neighbor, my friend, who brought quiet, slow, deliberate Kindness to each of us who was lucky enough to truly BE with him..I so treasure our time together...Lee (from across the street)