My Neighbor.....

Sunday morning around 6:15 am I heard the garbage truck.

What the heck?

It's Sunday!

I checked out my side windows.

Nothing.

I checked out the front window and caught a glimpse of a fire truck through my trees parked kiddie corner from my house in front of my elderly neighbors. 

Oh no!
I bound down the stairs and out to my yard as the fireman walked not into my elderly neighbors house but to the house directly across the street.

I sat on my porch.

I watched for awhile then felt like a big-eyed owl so I took my watching indoors.

I called James.

Three police cars, one detective car, one full size fire truck and one Unified Fire Ambulance.

No lights.

No sirens.

Nobody coming out.

I moved to Rylee's room with an upstairs window with a better view of their front porch.

I call my other neighbor -who just happens to have a detective for a husband. She and I are visiting teachers to this neighbor. Maybe they need help? Maybe her hubby knows more?

He answers the phone.

He knows nothing.

I'm sure he thinks I'm the nosiest neighbor ever. I can sense it in his voice and his advice is to just let the emergency personnel take care of it.

I can understand that.

But what if they need someone?

James is their Home Teacher, I'm her Visiting Teacher.

If anyone should be helping...it's us!

I try to dig deep. 

Listen to the spirit.

What should I do?

I wait.

15-20 minutes later they brought out my neighbor on a tarp, placed him on the stretcher and casually wheeled him to the ambulance. He had a CPR machine thing compressing up and down on his chest.

No one is rushing.

No hurry up.

They drive off yet, no one leaves the house to follow or ride along.

I run to my basement looking through my files for my neighbors mothers phone number. (I sold her a condo a few years ago.) Maybe the wife and daughter are out of town and my  neighbor is alone? Called 911 and collapsed? Her number is disconnected.

I remember I have the daughters cell phone in my phone.

I call. No answer.

Just as I hang up I see the garage open and their car back out.

It is my neighbor and her daughter.

I walked out to my yard so they can see me, figuring if they want to stop they will, if not they don't have too.

As soon as they see me they stop and roll down the window.

"He stopped breathing."

I ask what I can do. Can I drive them to the hospital.

No, they will be fine.

I ask them to keep me posted and let me know if I can help.

On Sundays (and with our late church schedule) I let the kids sleep and make a big breakfast. I explained what had happened over breakfast.The doorbell rings, I go to answer as I'm saying over my shoulder "I don't know if he's dead or alive."

There is the teenage daughter on my doorstep.

"My dad died."

Oh my heart.

I wrapped her in a hug and pulled her in the house.

I holler for Devree. 

She tells Devree. 

 Devree hugs her. 

We keep saying we're so sorry.

We invited her to breakfast but she needs to get home to her mom.

He was 53.

Heart attack.

It's hard to believe he's gone. 

We've lived across the street from him for over ten years.

Nice man.

Funny man.

He let's James and Austin in to home teach as long as they don't talk religion.

Not a religions man.

They shot pool sometimes.

We exchange Christmas gifts.

They bring over left over cake and cheesecakes as there are just three of them and so many of us.

Wow.

Just like that. 

Gone.

Devree's status update on facebook that morning:

You know you're lucky when you realize the things you still have.....