Where The Porch Sees Everything

Front Porch Chronicles - Neighborhood Stories & Porch Wisdom

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Good afternoon, my beautiful listeners, and welcome back to the front porch. Go on and settle in for a minute because I'm out here again today sitting on my front porch taking in this beautiful weather while it lasts. You know how weather can be nice one minute, acting brand new the next. But right now it's warm. The breeze is just right, and I've got my sweet iced tea sitting beside me. Toes out and everything. Now don't look too close at the toes because yes, they need to be done. The polish is hanging on for dear life. But listen, they'll get done when they when the funds say they can get done. Until then the porch understands. And from this porch right here, I get the best view in the neighborhood because when you sit on the front porch long enough you start to see everything traffic rolling by like a slow parade, and I'm always amazed at some of these cars that pass this house. Some of them look like they shouldn't even be running anymore. I'm talking about cars with half a bumper, cars with no front, cars that look like they lost a fight with a brick wall, but somehow they're still rolling down the street like nothing happened. And then you got the loud ones. Oh yes, we got a couple of them around here. You hear them long before you see them. Sound like a whole race car coming down the block. And I always wonder the same thing every time. Where exactly are you going sounding like that in a neighborhood like this? But some people like to make an entrance. Meanwhile, the birds are out doing their thing, sirens are singing their city song in the distance, ambulances and fire trucks flying past like they always do. And right on schedule, the wall huggers are back. Back in their usual spot, leaning up against that wall like they part of the building itself. They be out there watching everything just like I do from the porch. And of course, we've got the busiest place on the whole block. The corner store. Now let me tell you something about the corner store. The corner store is more than just a place to buy a soda or a bag of chips. Oh no. The corner store is the hub of information. If you want to know what's going on in the neighborhood, you go to the corner store. You want the latest news? Corner store. You want the newest gossip? Corner store. You want to know who moved in, who moved out, who arguing, who's celebrating, and who got something going on? Just stand outside that corner store for about ten minutes. You'll find out everything you didn't even know you needed to know. People going in, people coming out, and some folks just standing there collecting information. That's why sometimes I call it Club Cornerstore. Because it stays busy. Something always happening. And right smack dab in the middle of all that, we still got that four-way stop that nobody in this neighborhood seems to know how to use. Four stop signs. And somehow still confusion. But I will say this, I haven't seen an accident yet. So maybe the confusion is somehow working. And would you look at that? Right on time, the neighborhood's personal car washer just showed up. Now this man right here, he works miracles. Cars pull up looking dusty, tired, looking like they done seen some hard days. But by the time he finishes with them, that car be shining like it just rolled off a dealership lot. I'm telling you, he makes them look brand new. And all of this, all of these little everyday moments, they pass right in front of this porch. And that's why I love sitting out here. Because the front porch catches everything the traffic, the noise, the stories, the little pieces of neighborhood life that most people miss. But not me. Because from this porch right here, I get to watch the whole neighborhood breathe. And as long as life keeps happening out here, you already know where I'll be. Right here on this front porch, sweet iced tea in hand, toes out, watching the world go by and minding my business. And I'll see you right back here next time on the front porch.