I noticed a couple of big rocks hanging out on the empty lot separating the Little Bitty and our neighbor’s brick house the other day, and got hit by one of my little ideas.
Skunk preventing 102.
Those are the perfect size, I thought, to place in the holes the Eastwood skunk digs under our Syracuse city fence so it can try to get under our shed and into our butterfly garden and, worst of all, pester or plaster poor Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle with its hideous scent.
Phew.
So I picked them up and plugged the gaps, which I had seen were deeper than they had been at winter’s start, dagnabbit.
When I proudly reported my achievement to my dear wife Karen when I got home from my bowling night, she said: “Oh, the rocks the neighbor kids use to hold down their portable basketball hoop when they play in the street?”
Yeah. Those. I didn’t realize they were using them to hold that thing more steadily in place.
Duh.
I hoped they hadn’t had time for a dusk shoot-around as I planned my Good Neighbor retribution. I really liked those rocks as part of our skunk patrol, after all.
So when Karen left for work the next morning, I pulled out for a trip to our neighborhood version of the store.
Support from your neighbor.
And in the masonry section, I purchased a couple each of big concrete bricks and smaller companions. Gray. Sturdy. Much better for holding down that basketball post, backboard and hoop than rocks. With my employee’s card, they came to less than four bucks.
I tossed them where the rocks had sat before my misguided intervention.
When I got home from my late shift, Karen reported that the young basketball-loving neighbors from the small apartment house across the street had wheeled out their portable apparatus and used the new support foundation.
Happy ending.
For a short time.
While we walked with Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle a few days following, a noticed the bricks were gone.
Somebody else must have made the same mistake I had, thinking they had been tossed there for the taking. Yes, just like those rocks, the young basketball players — 16 to 18 years old is my guess — left those bricks right there on the side of the empty lot when they hauled their portable basketball hoop back to the little lot next to their building.
A new pile of rocks had replaced the bricks.
I’ve not said a word to them about any of this, only thought and wished for the best as they shoot hoops and make the most of our little street of life.
Would you have thought the rocks were free for the taking? Would you have thought the bricks were up for grabs? What’s your moral of this story?
Mark Bialczak 
Well, you tried! Not surprised that you did a good deed in finding a replacement for the rocks so that the kids could continue playing. Mr. B takes things only if there is a sign that says, FREE – though I am sure he would have thought the rocks were fair game. 🙂
LikeLike
Yeah, rocks not stacked in a formation seem up for grabs, Mrs. B. Otherwise, I like Mr. B’s principle. 🙂 Have a great day, my friend.
LikeLike
Now you’ve got an angry skunk.
LikeLike
Noooooooooo, Scott. Are they mating under your porch yet?
LikeLike
They tried to, but we built a fortress around the thing. Looks like a WWI redoubt.
LikeLike
Smart, you and the wife, Scott. Way to go, my friend.
LikeLike
Gah, the idea of leaving bricks around for our neighborhood kids scares the heck out of me – most likely those bricks would wind up being thrown threw my new front window.
BTW, we had a problem with the next-door neighbor’s little dog trying to get under our fence, so we put rabbit fencing all along the bottom. Doesn’t stop the rabbits, but it does stop the dog.
LikeLike
Rabbits are too quick for the fencing, I guess, CM, but not dogs. Hey, I never once thought these young folks would throw these bricks or rocks or anything. I hope I’m not wrong. Knock on wood. Or windows.
LikeLike
My neighbor are unusual. I’m sure the kids in your neighborhood are fine.
LikeLike
HA- Mark place moth balls at the perimeter of fence to ward off rabbits, skunks, snakes and the like-they hate Moth Balls…Then no need to swipe rocks etc…End of Story Dude. Gatorette
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ve put boxes of moth balls under the shed over the years, Gatorette. I think the Eastwood skunks use them to play bocce. 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
LOl-well…they are too smart! Gatorette
LikeLike
The moral of the story is that things do not always go as planned-and you are a good neighbor and all around good egg
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, Rose. You can’t always fix things, but you can always try to do the right thing. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our neighbor with skunks under the porch has moved. I have high hopes that the new neighbors will be remedying the problem.
LikeLike
I hope somebody can remedy that problem, Rose!
LikeLike
I would have thought twice about taking bricks or rocks in a residential area where the lawns and properties are all well maintained. In a commercial area or area with vacant lots, I would have just picked up the rocks or bricks without a thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person