This is probably one of those diaries that pushes the really good diaries off the list, and I don't know that there's much point to this, but it just made me feel good.
So a few minutes ago I pull into our driveway coming home from town (we're really in the boondocks) and there's a silver Mercedes van filled with people in dresses and sweaters and ties turning around up near the house.
I pull past them and park at the back of the house near the carport, and as I get out, a very well-groomed gentleman in a cardigan, white shirt and tie is walking up the driveway towards me.
If you live in the country, you know what this means, so I'm already getting mentally geared up to be snarky and obnoxious, when he says ...
"We're looking for ..." and he names my neighbors. I'm a little confused now. This kind of thing happens a lot up here, so I just say "Sure, they're the next house up the road that way" and point. My neighbors have lots of friends and invariably some turn into the wrong driveway.
"Thanks," he says and turns to go back to the van, and I say, "Hey - as long as you're heading over there I have a package for them." UPS won't drive up this far so I meet them about two miles down the road, and since I deal with them daily, I do deliveries for the whole valley.
He's very pleased to do it, and since it's kind of heavy and the driveway is slippery I carry the box to the van and put it in. They must be friends of my neighbors, maybe their visit is even expected, so it doesn't seem like I'm asking too much.
"Would you like some literature? We're Jehovah's Witnesses", he says. Damn! I knew it!
"No thanks", I say and head back to the house.
Now I just missed the exquisite pleasure of messing with a Jehovah's Witness. I've gotten quite good at it, and the remote location and dog or two hanging around makes them even easier prey, especially since I usually have a chain saw or ax in hand when they show up. But I just got a Witness to run an errand for me.
The part that's even better is my neighbors usually get one of two things via UPS: Ayur-Vedic food related stuff or stuff like yoga mats or other paraphernalia from the Guru my neighbor is a devotee of. He's a yoga instructor (at 75 - started around 72) and follows some Swami-whatever and has dined with Deepok Chopra. She's not quite into that though - she's the daughter of Lutheran missionaries but a practicing Bhuddist who does Ayur-Vedic cooking, attends Quaker meetings and is also an Oblate Benedictine nun. They have strong opinions - lots of them.
They're really good friends - we bought this property partly to live next to them - and nice people.
I'm sorry I missed the conversation.