EVELYN,MY FRIEND

I have just come inside from chasing my dog around the front yard, she was barking relentlessly and it is 5;30 AM. "I" is the one of our two dogs that is the barker. So I armed with a piece of bolonga am running around the front yard, trying to intice her back inside. But 'I' the dog was having none of it. It took about 30 seconds to realize how very cold it was. VERY! Finally the smell of the piece of meat brought her running to me. We made it back inside without me taking a tumble on the snow.

We bought our house five years ago We had been living in a apartment for a few years previous. I was thrilled, a house of our own. A front yard, fenced for the dogs. Neighbors. I was very happy. I was out in the front yard about a week after we moved in.From the house across the street came a woman, an older woman. she came right up to my gate. She smiled, I'm Evelyn she said, putting out her hand. "Evelyn," I thought excitedly. I have a nieghbor, a new friend. She will come over, we will have coffee. It takes very little to get me excited. Since my eyes have gotten bad, and I had to quit driving my world has gotten much smaller it takes very little to make me happy. but just as these happy thoughts raced around my head she produced two little pamplets into my hand. She talked hurriedly about the new kingdom that would be coming to earth soon. I froze. "Jehovah Witness" my mind screamed. Now please do not be offended. I am very comfortable with all beliefs, I have mine and am quite content to let others have thiers in what ever way they choose. But I had a mother who warned quite often, "Do not let Jehovah Witness's in the house. Keep the screen door closed. Do not let them fill your head with their propaganda. Do not be rude but at all costs stay from them. My heart started racing, the little pamplets clutched in my hand. I could hear my Mother, her words getting louder in my ears. "Run," I thought she was saying. "Run" But I couldn't I was disappointed my wonderful new neighbor was, "One of them." I invited her to sit with me in the chairs under the tree's. I tried to explain how nice it was to meet her but I did not believe the way she did. I told her how I respected her beliefs but I just wasn't intererested in learning anymore about it. I sure hoped my Mother was proud of the way I handled it but probably she would have been happier if I had just shooed her out of the yard. That was five years ago and though we have come close a couple of times to aguring, we haven't. She comes over faithfully every few weeks and always manages to get one good statment in favor of her point of view and I try the best I can to steer the conversation away from it.

But please let me tell you the kicker about Evelyn. She is about 5"1, weighs around 90 pounds and is 96 years old. She mows her own lawn, spends hours pulling weeds from the cracks in her sidewalk. She drives, reads fine print and gives 50 plus hours a week walking around telling people the glad news of how heaven will be on earth soon if you only will believe in their word. The Jehovah Witness way. Tell me how many people believe in anything strong enough to give 50 hours a week getting a door slammed in your face. Not many I believe. Her dedication has not led me to believe her words but I have great respect for her.

Two years ago I bought her a hat and scarf for Christmas. Eveyln always wears a hat. To keep the heat in your body in the winter and the heat out in the summer. She always wears a hat. I proudly took them over, she did not answer the door. I left them inside the screen door. About two weeks later she came over. I asked if she had found the gift I left. She thanked me and announced they did not believe in Christmas. "Dork," I screamed to myself. I knew that how could I have done that, gave a gift to someone who didn't even believe in the reason I was giving the gift. She thanked me, I said I was sorry. So thoughtless of me," I muttered. She smiled. She never mentioned what she had done with the present.I never asked. I never seen her wear it. I will never make that mistake again.

Evelyn has a vegetable garden every spring, gladly sharing her prized tomatoes with me. She makes the garden herself, the weeding, the picking, everything. And Evelyn taught me how to make Walnut Tinture. She swears by its magical powers, "It will make you healthy," she says. She faithfully takes ten drops a day in a cup of water. The recipe is very simple. You take six walnuts still in their green husk, placing them in a quart jar, you add one quart of 100% vodka over them. Seal the jar tightly, putting a piece of plastic over the top of the jar before you put on the lid. It has to be a glass jar. Let it stand about a week. It will turn very black, very. After a week you take out the walnuts, throw them away. You now have a quart of Walnut tinture. Eveyln says it will make you healither, she says your colon will work more regular, your hair will grow thicker. Just ten drops a day in a cup of water. How simple can a miracle drug be? I believe.

Evelyn is interesting, delightful, full of life. Takes very little medicine, believes in vitamins and natural cures. I wish for you all the wonderful experience of having a Evelyn in your life.