That Time I Had the Greatest Neighbors

Friends, we all have or have had neighbors who were okay or maybe even pretty good, but this story is not about them. This story is about the most caring, most generous and friendliest neighbors I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

It was probably about 20 years ago when the Hulsmans moved in next door. Edward, Angie and their daughters Avery and Emberly just fit right in, and we all became fast friends. When we first met the Hulsmans, Edward had a lawn care business and when he would mow his own yard, he would mow mine as well. It’s not a huge yard, but it was quite the gesture. He thought nothing of it, but it meant a lot to me. Still does, actually.

Later on, Edward became a firefighter in Houston, and I used to joke with him about his 2-day work week. He set me straight a couple of times with his tales of going from one burning building to another and another until his 24-hour shift was over. He even received an award from the mayor of Houston for his bravery by getting a man to safety who was trapped in a burning car.

During his days off Edward spent a lot of time hunting and fishing and one day he really impressed my Father-In-Law. I was on the phone with my Father- In-Law when Edward came over and asked me if I wanted any duck breasts. I of course said “Yes!” but my Father-In-Law was intrigued and wanted to know all about that special gift. He said, “So your neighbor organized a duck hunt, paid for the land lease, the dogs, the ammo and then cleaned the ducks, vacuum sealed the breasts, and brought them to you?” I said “Yep!” His response was this: Never move. And I never did.

Not to leave Angie out of this story, Edward and I met at my picket fence one afternoon like we often did and asked me to try a cinnamon roll that Angie had just made. He even said that they were the best cinnamon rolls in the world. I was skeptical and I told him that there are a lot of cinnamon rolls in the entire world, but he convinced me to just try one. After just one magical bite I was in total agreement — it was, in fact, the best cinnamon roll in the world! The only problem was that they were highly addictive, so we aptly renamed them “crack rolls” — it’s the little things that make a big difference. This sentiment was never more obvious when my wife and I had to go out of town and Edward would watch over our house, check the mail, feed the dogs and give us that extra sense of security while we were on the road. At other times I would need to borrow something from his garage while he was on duty at the fire station, but we had a standing arrangement where either of us could take what they needed, just return it and put it back where you found it. Also, when I would return from my Army training, there was always a grand piece of art drawn by either Avery or Emberly welcoming me home. Very touching indeed.

There are too many acts of genuine kindness bestowed upon my wife and I to list here, but it is safe to say that the Hulsmans really and truly were the greatest neighbors I have had — or ever will have. What would the world be like if everyone was such a great neighbor?

The column represents the thoughts and opinions of Alan Shoalmire. Opinion columns are NOT the opinion of the Navasota Examiner.

Alan Shoalmire is a resident in Grimes County and the owner of Grill Sergeant Hotdogs and submits a column to the Navasota Examiner every other week.