Hedge Clippers

 

Notice the huge hedge behind the balloons.

Alastair’s Easter outfit is well underway and I am loath to stop to write a nice, informative post. But as I was busily working in the sewing room, I recalled a story that I thought you might enjoy.

In yesterday’s post I mentioned the neighborhood where my daughter and her family live. I described it as being much like where Ward, June, The Beaver and Wally Cleaver lived, on Pine Street, in the ‘50’s. Few if any yards are off limits and children roam the block, laughing and playing. Rebecca and Harvey have allowed and encouraged the children to run free on or through their corner lot.

Between the street and their side yard is a huge podocarpus hedge, at least 8’ deep and 10’ high, an impenetrable green wall which affords them some privacy. If you are unfamiliar with this very dense shrub, it is shown in the picture above, taken at Alastair’s birthday party.

Several weeks ago, the doorbell rang and Rebecca greeted 7 year-old Rachel, who lives across the street. She politely asked Rebecca if she could borrow her hedge clippers.

When Rebecca asked her why, the little girl responded that Jennifer and Sarah, two other neighborhood girls, had their father’s hedge clippers but she didn’t think that her father had any so could she please use Rebecca’s?

“Why do you need hedge clippers?” Rebecca inquired.

“Oh,” she replied with excitement, “we’re making a hole in your hedge so we can cut through!” She obviously thought news of this landscape modification would be met with enthusiasm.

Rebecca firmly refused and scurried out to mitigate the damage to her hedge. Rachel’s live-in grandmother came out  about that time and proceeded to give her granddaughter and the other two girls a hot lecture on property rights, followed by some major what-for. Rebecca shooed Jennifer and Sarah off, scolding them properly. Their hedge clippers were left behind.

Later, their father came to the door,  professing that kids will be kids and asking Rebecca to please return his hedge clippers if she ever recovers them from the depths of the podocarpus hedge. Rebecca told him on no uncertain terms that he would never see those clippers again. And if he replaces them, which she hoped he would not, she advised that  they be kept out of the reach of children.

Since then, there have been no lawsuits for property damage, no neighborhood feuds.  Just as this scene would have played out on Pine Street, the neighbors are all friendly, the children play in the all the yards and the incident has not been mentioned again. But I doubt Jennifer, Sarah and Rachel have forgotten, or will forget for a very long time. Their father’s hedge needs trimming. Rebecca’s hedge is healing.