The Reversal

      A couple of weekends ago my family and I experienced a reverse pay it forward. That's right, this time we were the recipients of a good deed. Let me explain. We live near the water and we own a small boat that had been having a few minor issues lately. It is relatively new but it was suffering from lack of water time and as any boat owner can tell you, they run better when they are run often. Well due to circumstances beyond our control, Michael and I have been unable to take this little beauty out as frequently as we would like, so she is copping a bit of an attitude. When we took her out earlier this summer we noticed a strange sound in the engine so we brought her to the mechanic just to play it safe. He said everything was fine so when Michael, Maddie, and I decided to take it out for a short Sunday excursion we felt pretty confident that she would be up for the task. Fortunately we decided not to go out too far, just in case. 

      We had the boat out on the Neuse River and as we were turning to head in, it just died. The motor sputtered a little, let out a short cough and just like that, she was done. We were left to the mercy of the current in the big river that was taking us further and further away from home. Alright, I thought, I can use some down time. We will just hang out here with two scared little dogs, in the hot sun while a couple of extremely ominous storm clouds begin to take shape simultaneously off in the distance until we can find someone to come get us. No problem, yeah right! Who wants to spend their Sunday afternoon wandering out in a storm on the water to tow some helpless folks back to shore? Michael perused his contacts list on his phone and called a good friend of ours who has a boat and told him about the problem. Our friend's name is Rodney. He offered to drop what he was doing and put in his boat to come out and get us. Now I am sure that was not how he planned on spending his day but he did it anyway. No questions asked. No complaining. No trouble.

      It didn't matter that we hadn't talked in awhile or that I regularly fail to recognize him in his beefed up pickup truck as he passes my little mouse mobile waving energetically. It was of no concern to him that we may never be able to pay him back in that the likelihood of both our boat running and us being anywhere in the vicinity of the waterway at the same time that he might have a similar crisis must be astronomical. With our current schedules and luck the poor man would have a better chance at winning the lottery. No, none of that seemed to phase him. He refused payment several times as did his son. The only thing I could get them to consider accepting was a homemade pie. When I mentioned lemon meringue Rodney said "Now your are talking."

     I have never lived anywhere in which we have had the privilege of having such awesome friends. We have no family here, no close relatives nearby but we have always, always found help when we needed it. I feel very blessed by the people in this community that I call friends. I can't begin to count the number of folks that live right in this neighborhood that have been there for us through the years. Never once would they accept any form of reimbursement. Time and time again I hear the same sentiment. "We don't take payment from friends." 

     Well, Mr. Rodney, this time you are taking payment because I am bringing you a pie this weekend. I cannot be held responsible if the teenagers get to it before you do but I am honoring my part of the bargain, and should you happen to read this please know that I was never so happy to see anyone as I was to see you and your son on that Sunday afternoon. We can never thank you enough for being such awesome, thoughtful and kind neighbors! You have made us all feel very blessed. Thank you for your help and here's hoping we can return the favor one day. Until then, enjoy the pie! 

Laurie