Neighbors quick to help those in need. (original) (raw)

Sometimes we have to look hard to find a "feel-good" story among the anguish of war, catastrophe and crime headlines. Recent photos in the Amarillo Globe-News showing neighbors gathering together to harvest the crops of the murdered Conrad family of Pampa brought back memories of similar feats that happened in my past.

I can remember at least a dozen times when sudden injury, disease or catastrophe laid a good man low in spite of his best efforts. Depending on the season or occupation, neighbors planned and provided the help needed by the helpless victim to survive and continue on.

Several times, like in the Conrad story, they brought combines and trucks to harvest ripened crops and haul them to the elevators, usually free of any cost to the owner. At other times I have helped plow or plant crops as needed to keep the farm going. Time and again I remember the victim's church providing meals and snacks or the wives nearby bringing food to the harvest crews.

Numerous recollections down through the years bring pictures to mind of cowboys and ranchers coming together to round up, brand or ship the cattle of an injured or deceased neighbor. It seems when roads allowed faster travel, this speed took its toll and most injuries came from wrecks. It made no matter as to fault, the neighbors always came and "took up the slack."

The Great Depression and Dust Bowl history is filled with stories telling of worn-down, desperately poor neighbors coming to aid those needing help. In 1932, a widow in Nebraska could not make a 400paymentonherfarmnoteandwasforcedintoaliquidationauctionbythelender.Agroupofequallypoorneighborspassedahat,cameandofferedthereceiver400 payment on her farm note and was forced into a liquidation auction by the lender. A group of equally poor neighbors passed a hat, came and offered the receiver 400paymentonherfarmnoteandwasforcedintoaliquidationauctionbythelender.Agroupofequallypoorneighborspassedahat,cameandofferedthereceiver100 cash in total payment to forestall liquidation.

When the man refused, the auction was held. The total proceeds from the sale came to $100 and the receiver had to approve the note paid in full. After he signed the release, the farmers who had bought the sale items donated them back to the widow so she could continue.

Time and again, neighbors butchering a hog or beef distributed meat to needy neighbors in the community, expecting nothing in return. My own parents told of receiving a fresh pork shoulder in early 1933 when Dad was out of a job with nothing in sight. They never forgot the neighbor-giver nor the favor and when better times arrived, they always stood ready to help others in need.

No matter how hard the times in the past, honesty and trustworthiness was never forgotten. My favorite Dust Bowl story tells of a farmer in Oklahoma who finally starved out and packed up to go to California hoping to find a job. He rented his farm to a neighbor hoping he could return sometime in the future.

The neighbor asked, "What kind of rent do you want me to pay?" The departing owner replied, "If you ever make any money on a crop, send me some." Now, that is trust.

� Delbert Trew
"It's All Trew"
February 14, 2006 Column
E-mail: trewblue@centramedia.net. More Columns