I did a good deed and then wanted to burn everything I was wearing.

[Are_grits_groceries]

Last edited Sun Oct 15, 2017, 04:53 AM - Edit history (1)

I met a neighbor when I was leaving to run errands. He asked me if I smelled the garbage in the upstairs apartment across from my building. I looked and saw some white trash bags on the patio. I told him no but I might be upwind.

He lived in the apartment below and as we walked toward his building, I got a whiff. A shithouse mouse would gag. From what I could gather, he had tried to talk to her but she never answered the door. Sooooooooo, I volunteered to try to help and get the bags moved. He stayed around to carry them and for backup.

I’m sure those who know me here think I asked her if she knew her patio could knock a buzzard off a shitwagon. Well, Mama raised me better so I turned on my pleasant, Southern button. I knocked and she finally came to the door. She had seen me watching the birds on my patio so I guess she thought I was ok. Ha!

I went full Southern and told her I had just noticed those trash bags. I wondered if she needed a little bit of help getting them thrown away because I just knew she wanted to sit out there. She was overjoyed. She was from NY and disabled her daughter did live down here but had moved back and her DIL only came every now and then. That’s what it sounded like.

So out to the patio we went. One bag was not quite full but the other bag was bursting at the seams. (Pause for dramatic music). We tried to put it in another bag. Bad idea. It tore about 8 inches. That was enough for little white larvae to fall out. Oh joy. I immediately went into teacher mode. In teacher mode, I never react openly to anything. I just deal with it .

I went to my apartment and got a bigger bag. I also grabbed some hand sanitizer. Bathing in that crossed my mind. I got back in time to see a bigger tear and more critters. We loaded the bag into the bigger one and I suggested she get some bleach. I really wanted to suggest renting a flamethrower or using napalm.

So I left with her garbage and whatever families were living in it. By now, I was itching all over. The man took the bags and threw them away. We both used the sanitizer. I told him I had given her my phone number and suggested she call me if the trash needed nuking. Hopefully, I won’t regret that.

I postponed my errands while I took a shower in scalding water. My clothes went right into the wash and I looked for the ‘surface of the sun’ temperature setting. I don’t know if my shoes were supposed to be washed but they went round too. Moonpie and Tater informed me that they almost voted me out of the apartment. They were suitably horrified.

Thus endeth another adventure. I am glad I helped although I could have done with no fauna. I think of Tennessee Williams and ‘the kindness of strangers.’ I’m no spring chicken and that could be me. I will check on her. I am also trying to think of someone to help and keep her on their radar.

My sweet Southern switch has been turned off. I am now back to my usual cranky and surly. I feel so much better. I am still trying to get over the itchy feeling.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. You sure did a good deed and were an unexpected angel for someone who needed one

You made somebody's life immeasurably better today and I salute you!

[sprinkleeninow]

2. How kindly of you!

Sometimes we get into unexpected trouble when coming to someone's aid.

In all seriousness, you are to be commended for your selfless act.

The 'good' part to your 'escapade' is this quite colorful and entertaining account of your experience. You need to have your own TV show!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I am sure you feel itchy, my dear grits, but you did a great thing today!

Blessings on you for all of that.

[Honeycombe8]

4. Your mama raised you right! You did great. Poor woman. nt

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. It's great that you helped someone in need!

Good for our hearts and souls!

Just did the same this afternoon and I'm exhausted, but at peace.

[Solly Mack]

6. You did good. Especially by not barfing at the handling of those little biologic therapy critters.

I would still be shuddering.

Maggots are used to eat infection/wound treatment. Those used have been medically sterilized, of course.

Who knew something so gross could be so beneficial?

[Are_grits_groceries]

41. I find that fascinating.

Leeches are being used again too.

[C Moon]

7. Good job!!

[dembotoz]

8. U did a good deed..

U hear stories about how families abandon pets when they move and are roundly condemned, well folks abandon families too. It's not the Walton's anymore. Extended families no longer are the norm. We now have assisted living and senior housing.
Good luck

[pnwmom]

9. Well, your southern manners sure came in handy -- but even more so your fortitude,

honed through years of being a teacher, and your acute sense of humor.

Your story made me laugh again and again. Thanks for sharing.

[msongs]

10. body parts? nt

[Are_grits_groceries]

14. Ha! Dahmers aunt. nt

[malaise]

11. You're a good person Grits

There are way more folks like your neighbor than we care to count. And many are living in stinking squalor.

[Laffy Kat]

16. These were going to be my words, too.

Simply, your're nice person. One Southerner to another.

[malaise]

24. That's for Grits -right?

I'm not even American

She's a great person. She looks after the critters all the time.

[Are_grits_groceries]

36. Dont you know?

I’m not American either. Southerners occupy this strange land where time stands still for some.
I would like to be buried in the USA when I pass. Trump may take care of that. This is not the USA I knew.

[malaise]

38. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Best laugh for the day

[mercuryblues]

46. +1

Southerners occupy this strange land where time stands still for some

That is why when the end of the world comes, I'll be in the South. Everything always happens 10 years later there.

A good deed for someone that is in a serious bind. I would give her a holler every time you take out your trash. "hey I am taking out my trash, you want me to stop by and grab yours on the way?" That could save you from burning your clothes as that can get quite expensive - or get you evicted by your owners.

[Laffy Kat]

48. Yes, Grits!

[mahina]

12. You did a good thing.

Not sure if you want to be the solution to this problem long term but I'm glad you did it and shared.

[Are_grits_groceries]

13. I know.

Gonna try to find out what her interests are. If she is a wannabe churchgoer, I will try to contact someone at her denomination.
I don’t want to get too caught up in her life. Not sure how she and dil get along.
I do want to try to find somebody that has similar interests that she can relate to. That would be much more enjoyable I think.
Gonna try to check on her once a week.

[malaise]

25. That's always the other side of helping others

[samnsara]

15. you made your mama proud.....

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

17. You are amazing, most would have walked away

Karma will take care of you.

[brush]

18. You are a good soul, and one who has a way with words.

[Vinca]

19. You made that lady's life just a little bit better (and your neighbor's, too . . . LOL).

If there was a "good person" test, a whole lot of people would have failed that one. Here's to you:

[Locrian]

20. heh - I read your post and then re-read it

heh - I read your post and then re-read it as an analogy on how to deal with trump supporters... so many good analogies it there!

The southern charm vs attacking
The garbage bags filled with maggots
etc!

[Are_grits_groceries]

39. In Charleston they call it

‘politing you to death.’ If they don’t want to deal with you, they will be so polite your teeth will hurt. It really is a good strategy. I can do it in a heartbeat.
Trump supporters have gotten on my last nerve though. Them I just cuss at.

[madokie]

21. You should write

the picture you painted with this is as vivid as if I was right there beside you.

Bless you

Peace

[TuxedoKat]

22. As my husband like to say

"No good deed goes unpunished." Seriously though, it was very kind of you to help out this woman.

[MineralMan]

23. Bless Your Heart! (meant sincerely, not sarcastically)

[Dennis Donovan]

26. "knock a buzzard off a shitwagon"

My Mom used that term frequently! Happy to hear it didn't die with her!

[Jim Lane]

43. I've heard that one, too, but "shithouse mouse" was a new one on me. (n/t)

[bdtrppr6]

54. i've always used

"outhouse rat" cuz my grandma said it all the time.

[workinclasszero]

27. God bless you for that gross and kind deed!

I guess I will have to put off my usual total despair of humanity today, thanks!

[Proud liberal 80]

28. By the title

I thought your good deed was going to be helping a deplorable trump voter out and feeling so disgusted you had to burn your clothes.

[Are_grits_groceries]

37. Id rather deal with maggots. nt

[True Dough]

29. Twas an awfully nice thing to do, grits

Now that we're certain you're capable of being so affable, we're going to have to raise the bar around here and demand nothing but pleasantries and compliments from you, you southern charmer!

[Squinch]

30. You are, quite simply, a very kind person.

But are you sure you didn't just make yourself an accessory after the fact?

[Are_grits_groceries]

42. Pleading the fifth! Talk to my lawyer. Nt

[Atman]

31. A Good Samaritan doesn't ask...

..."what will happen to me if I help?" He asks "What will happen to him if I don't help?"

Nice job.

[Are_grits_groceries]

40. Thanks.

Love that attitude. I’ll have to remember that.

[procon]

32. As baby boomers age, a lot of them will find themselves in similar predicaments.

Similar scenarios are probably playing out all across the country, and your neighbor is fortunate enough to have someone offer to help, but most won't be that lucky. If they could get someone to assist them with daily living chores, even for just 1-2 hours a week, it would be cheaper to keep them at home rather than move them into more expensive assisted living facilities.

There are over 76 million baby boomers, and yet the government has no policy on the aging problems of this huge segment Americans. I fear the worse, and like all the other poor and vulnerable people in this country, they will be largely ignored and treated with contempt.

[llmart]

49. I have written about that exact same concern...

We are in for a huge surprise when my generation (I'm a boomer) gets even older.

I do disagree with you on the government not having a plan. The current government's plan is to deny us health care so we die off quickly and in great numbers.

[Blue_true]

33. You did good, Grasshopper. nt

[LongTomH]

34. Good on ya', Mate!!!!!

Your mama would be proud!!

[steve2470]

35. Very nice thing of you to do!

Knock a buzzard off a shitwagon LOL love it... will have to remember that!

[Jim Lane]

44. Good work! A suggestion for going forward....

As my mother aged, she wasn't as badly off as your neighbor, but she had some limitations, and I had to live a couple hundred miles away for my job. Her city had an Elder Services agency. Through them she was connected to another senior in town who was somewhat younger, in much better physical shape, and in more straitened financial circumstances. My mother (with her own pension plus my late father's) could afford to pay her to come over a couple times a week to do stuff. Win-win.

So, while you're "trying to think of someone to help and keep her on their radar," see if your municipality can do something that goes beyond the circle of people you happen to know. "I'm from the government and I'm here to help" isn't always terrifying.

[Generic Other]

45. You are a kind soul

That sounded pretty bad. Glad you didn't say the whole place was like this.

[Are_grits_groceries]

47. Well, the apartment did smell kind of musty.

Nothing overwhelming. Not sure of the overall cleanliness though.
Outside of her door she had several items lined up. They looked like junk she might want to throw away. I will give that a sideways approach soon to see if they need to be disposed of. If they are, her dil doesn’t seem to be stepping up but who knows what the situation is.

I’m not going to get too involved. I hope I can find a group that can visit her and help. That way, she won’t have try to depend on me.

[sinkingfeeling]

50. Love your story telling ability. You did good.

[spanone]

51. K&R...

[AJT]

52. Ya done good.

[FuzzyRabbit]

53. Good job, Grits.

I hope you are proud of yourself for helping this poor woman.

It sounds like you may have been her first contact with another person in some time. She must be lonely. If your town has a senior center, they might know of some resources that can help her.