I Think I'll Stop Gardening

Posted: Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

I planted a garden this spring and I worked really hard to do so: pulling weeds, fertilizing, watering, killing bugs, and pruning. Now I have all kinds of vegetables: cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, okra, and green beans. I mean really I have a pretty good amount back there.
Here is the thing, my able-bodied neighbor plays horseshoes all day long. He doesn't seem to have a garden though I can't be sure. His fence is too tall; I can see him over it right now. "Hey Bob" (I just said that).
Here is the thing I found a bit distressing. At some point last week, my neighbor Bob got really hungry. You see he didn't have time to plant a garden because he was shining his horseshoes and working on his swing. He does have a decent throw; he beats me every time we play.
But anyway, get this, he went to the neighborhood association and demanded that I give him some of the tomatoes and green beans from my garden!
The very next day after the neighborhood co-op meeting, the sergeant at arms from the association showed up and conveniently invaded my backyard garden. He removed almost all of what I had grown to share with my neighbor, as well as some of the others in neighborhood horseshoe community!
Once they saw what I had, they all agreed that I had too much, and my less fortunate neighbor had a right to not be hungry. They did leave me a few squash and some more seeds to re-plant for the neighborhood swim team and explained that I should not be so greedy.
Honestly, please tell me this. Should I continue to plant a garden?
Between you and me, I would rather join the 24/7 bike and hike club. Maybe I can also go to the neighborhood association and demand a cucumber and some okra from this guy Jim across the street. I know he has a pretty substantial stockpile. I mean he is out there 6 days a week, sunup till sundown and has a pretty large garden with apples, bananas, and I thought I saw a ham hanging from his back porch. What does he need all that food for anyway?
Perhaps I need to bring Bob over someday and show him how cool it is to have a garden. You see Bob was raised by the horseshoe throwing champion of the world and he has big horseshoe dreams.
And honestly, his dad never showed him how to plant a garden. He might be open to the idea if I help him learn to garden. Maybe if I bring him over, show him a few things and how rewarding it is to know that he could fend for himself, he could grow as well. Heck I might even go over and lend him a hand.
But honestly, most of the other hard working neighbors that grow gardens seem really too busy to help their neighbors. So why should I bother to help Bob?