NEWSPAPERS ARE MEANT TO BE READ

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Our neighbors across the street, a nice Jewish family from New Jersey, are on vacation for a week.

I don't know why I mentioned they are a Jewish family from New Jersey. I guess I just wanted you to know. It certainly has nothing to do with what I am writing about. Besides they have lived across the street now for several years so they are an Arizona family. They are good neighbors. The children used to "drive me nuts" when they were young and trying to knock my windows out with baseballs like I did when I was a kid. Now they are older and rarely come outside. I guess they are inside watching television and becoming couch potatoes. However, I don't know. They may be busy doing homework or making bagels or something.

Anyhow, just before they left they asked if we would watch their house while they are away. And they said if the papers start to stack up maybe we could just pick them up and throw them away.

The first thing I do in the morning is go outside and pick up the morning paper. I bring it in the house and start reading. I do this even before my first cup of coffee. I start with the front page and work my way to the last page. I want to turn immediately to the Sports page but I rarely do. This has been my habit for years.

When I walked out the front door this morning I noticed two papers in our neighbors driveway so I walked across the street and picked them up.

I smiled on the way back across the street. No--I laughed out loud.

Our neighbors never pick up their paper on the day it is delivered. In fact they don't pick them up until there are four or five scattered all over the drive. This has been their habit for years.

But they will be picked up this week!