He Passed Away In the Summer, But This Weekend My Neighbor Brought the Christmas Spirit

I moved into my home in the Fall of 2010.

It's a neighborhood where, typically the homes are passed down generation to generation. I've been surrounded by a lot of older folk because of that, which I truly enjoy. It makes for a safe, quiet community.

Across the street was a man that I've actually known most of my life. Cap Seibert was a huge fan of baseball and collecting baseball cards throughout his 90 years. In fact, that's what introduced him to my world. My Dad, once upon a time had a baseball card shop in Lansingburgh that Cap would visit from time to time. Over the years, he would reach out to my Father if he was looking to sell something from his collection. Next thing I knew, he was my neighbor.

I would see him during the warm weather months slowly taking care of his shrubs and yard. I remember coming home at lunch time one day to find him resting under his tree in the shade on a hot 85-degree summer day. I would shout from my car, "You better take it easy!" while he'd laugh and say, "Someone's gotta do it!"

In the winter months, after shoveling or snowblowing my own drive way, I would make my way over to his. No matter the climate, no matter if it would make me late for work or give me just another reason to use my inhaler I always wanted to make sure he was taken care of. One day when I came home from work, I had this "tool" waiting in my entrance way with a note from Cap thanking me for watching over him and saying "here's something for your roof." I really didn't understand what it was or what he meant. My roof? I had never seen this thing before.

In the Spring, Cap's family had gotten him set up in an adult living community which he knew it was time even though he didn't want to be in it. By Summer, Cap had passed away. I remember finding out the week of my birthday thinking that was no birthday gift.

Then this morning, I had peaked outside to see what Mother Nature had dropped upon us and shivered a little. For some reason, even though a couple years had passed since Cap gave me that roof tool, it popped into my head today. I put on my coat and boots and headed to the garage to grab it. Looking at it I thought, "now I get it." I went outside and pushed all the snow off my car with ease. As I was near my end, I looked across the street and saw my older woman neighbor starting to shovel her walkway. I crossed the street and began pushing the snow off of her car.

When she noticed she said, "Oh Marissa, you're great! Thank you so much!"

I replied, "Don't thank me, thank Cap."

Merry Christmas!