a tribute to a gate

There is a gate between our backyard and another. In a region where folks love privacy and six-foot fences, a gate between properties is unusual. After we bought our home, our neighbor Peggy told us how that gate came to be. As happens only rarely, she and her husband were close friends with the couple who had lived in our house, the children of the two families were close to each other, and even their dogs were best pals! Well, wouldn't ready access to each other's yards be a splendid idea? Indeed it was. So splendid that the gate was always left open, and the families and their dogs visited back and forth freely and happily.

     I loved the story. And I was sad that Peggy, now a widow, and her bachelor son no longer had their beloved friends next door...uh, next yard. The gate was closed now. But there was no lock, and we did use the gate a few times. When our plumbing went catterwonky, I hurried through the gate to ask Peggy if I could check out the decor of her powder room. Now and then, when my husband and I left town, her gracious son used the gate when he fed our dog and parakeets.

Time wrought further changes. Peggy passed away. Her son stayed a couple of years more. Recently he sold the house and a new family moved in. Seeing strangers through the gate, our collies barked with concern, and I shushed them and brought them inside.

     A couple of weeks ago, I saw the neighbors in their yard. We smiled at each other and introduced ourselves at the gate. "Maybe you were wondering why the gate's here," I said.

     "Yes, we were," said the man. He and his cousin smiled at the collies who pressed close to me.

     Nice people. I told the story of the gate and they smiled. "I like that," said the lady.

     "We could put a lock on the gate," I suggested.

     "No, it's fine."

     Lovely people. "I'm sorry the dogs have been barking," I said. "We're thinking we should put up a board here so the dogs can't see you."

     "Oh, no, don't worry," the man said. "They don't bother us."

     Wonderful folks. I should give them a little welcome gift. I asked, "Do you like oranges?"

     "Yes, we do."

     "We have extra. I'll get them." I got a bag and filled it with oranges from our tree.

     They took the offering, beaming. "Thank you so much!" they both said.

     Today I was retrieving oranges from under the tree. I selected the best, put them in a bag, and hung the bag over the gate.

     Isn't a gate a lovely thing?