Folks, I never want y’all to think I’m a hypocrite so here is today’s story time

I met the neighbors. One of them at least. Idk why or how out of this street they came to my house but my kid comes out to say there’s a grownup that wants me or their dad out front

(She’s seven so the “grownup” was all of sixteen, but let’s not quibble at what old looks like to a first grader)

Anyway the kid introduces herself and asks do I want a tree

Her dad ordered from the arbor foundation and got twelve

So I rock down the street with her, I’m wearing flip flops and carhartt shorts and a cami with no bra so I’m tats out tits out

It’s fucking hot, my back hurts, I’m sweating, I ain’t wearing a bra to plant things but I also didn’t dress to impress

And what house does she lead me to but the only one on the block that earlier this year had a big-ass trump flag

Me and this dude have waved cause he’s a porch-sitter and my girls walk past his house to get to the bus stop for school. He’s racist grandpa, always says hi to them

Anyway I’m expecting he got too many saplings and needs to get rid of a couple. This kid brings me plastic cups in which they’ve propagated the spruce just in case neighbors wanted them

And I’m talking to the man about the soil and the ph, safe garden y’all

*garden talk

So I ask him cause I’m new here what do I need to know and he...he is not a gardener. He sure ain’t country. He’s a suburban dude with a suburban lawn who lives on a cul-de-sac and ain’t never let his lawn get above an inch.

So he asks me what we’re doing and I laugh and tell him I’m planning on feeding half the county when the supply chain breaks down cause we can’t shop no more and this man just nods and says “yeah I’ve been thinking about that”

So I tell him to pardon my French for the politics but that’s why I overplant, is to give away what I don’t need cause in an emergency you gotta do more than your share if you can and it’s just a shame the people in charge don’t know that

In my thickest accent

Then I tell him I just moved here from the east coast and thank god we did right now cause we got land to plant on

He asks where we rent equipment and I laugh and tell him we’re a marine corps family and never did need more than a shovel and hammer to help people

And then I politely thank this man for the tree shoots and tell him that I believe in solidarity forever so if he or his ever get hungry they know who to talk to.

Now.

I have just out-countrified and out-ruraled and out-patriotized this man and he KNOWS it. Hell, I out-rednecked a trump voter cause I rocked up with a cheap beer in my hand to boot.

And I also made him come along with me on socialism, just a bit.

It ain’t everything. Ain’t even much. But you know? I’ve worried about that man watching the folk coming and going. I’ve worried will he call the cops on people who need shelter or food and come to my house for it.

He sure as shit ain’t going to now.

Because now I ain’t just the new mom down the block, an unknown quantity, someone who might be up to anything. I’m that young woman from down the lane who grows too many beans just to share.

You ain’t gotta trust someone or be friends to neutralize a threat. Know your neighbors.

I am also that young woman from the big city with the socialist slogans, the one who wishes we all had health care and food and doesn’t understand why this nation can’t provide that to its citizens.

Next time I make soup for the neighborhood I’m delivering it in an antifa shirt.