Over the past weekend, I was pretty much snowed in. \u00a0My car isn\u2019t great in snow and I decided that I would just stay home. \u00a0But not always inside – there was snow to be shoveled. I share a driveway with my neighbor and he was out with the snow blower. \u00a0So, I grabbed my shovel and went out to clear the steps of my house and his – as well as the walkways in the front and back. When I saw him head down the sidewalk and do the driveways of the houses on either side of our houses, I went along and cleared their steps and paths as well. \u00a0Then I put down salt for all four houses.
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My neighbor really appreciated the help and I think our other neighbors did too. We repeated this a couple more times over the weekend to try and manage the snow – and I did an additional round with the shovel to clear the \u201clake effect\u201d snow.
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It\u2026 was a lot of work.
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Though the roads were mostly unplowed on my route to work today, I managed to find a path that was mostly downhill – and where it was uphill, I was able to get a \u201crunning start\u201d.
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Then after work, I decided to hit the pool and work off some stress. Except, the traffic leaving campus and right around campus was terrible. Gridlock, in some places. Every route I tried was nearly impassable. Then I remembered a street just past the mcdonald\u2019s on Market street that would take me over to Carroll – and from there, it would be a direct shot over to the Rec Center.
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Except, that street hadn\u2019t been plowed. At. All.
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I was already committed when I realized my folly. I got about a quarter way down the street and then slid to a stop. I tried backing up, going forward, gearing down, I got out and pushed from the front and the back. Nothing.
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I was about ready to call for roadside assistance though my insurance and settle in for a long wait when a sensible 4-wheel drive vehicle pulled up behind me. A guy got out, said he lived just down the street, and that he would go get a shovel. He was back in a few minutes and helped shovel the snow around my car. We tried pushing and clearing several times and at one point I asked if I could just borrow his shovel since I didn\u2019t want to keep him.
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He wouldn\u2019t hear it and we kept working on it. Finally, a little progress and I tried to drive forward again while he pushed. Another guy came up and pushed too and I finally got enough momentum to get off the street and into the cleared parking lot of a drugstore. I parked, then hurried back down the street to his house. I jogged up and said he was a lifesaver for helping me out. I shook his hand in thanks and he gave me his name.
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\u201cI\u2019m Anthony,\u201d he said as he pulled his hand back. I started, then smiled even wider.
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\u201cSo am I,\u201d I said and his smile widened too.
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Suddenly brothers, I offered a fist-bump that he returned and I thanked him again as I headed back to my car.
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I skipped the swim entirely and just headed home with a longer, but safer route..
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Jim offered to drive tonight to get dinner and while I waiting for him and his all-wheel drive car, I noted my neighbor across the street was shoveling her drive. I went and got my shovel to help her out – saying my ride was on the way, but that I\u2019d do what I could. We worked for a bit until Jim got there and I tossed my shovel in a snowbank at my house.
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When we got back, she was still working on the drive. So, I said goodbye to Jim, got my shovel again, and went back over. She and I worked for a while to clear the rest of the snow and when we were done she said she was going to buy me a cape since I kept coming to her rescue.
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I was a little out of breath when I went inside, but glad that I was able to help.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I\u2019m a little skeptical of karma.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, if it\u2019s real, that wheel was turning today.
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And I\u2019m keeping my shovel handy.
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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