What friends (and neighbors) are for

We've been trying to sell a big ole grain bin - a tall red thing in which you can store almost 6,000 pounds of grain. Nothing wrong with it - just that my wife found some cheaper grain in bags that works better for us.

After several weeks of no calls from little notes I put up in all the local feed stores, I got a nibble. The nibble turned into a bite and the guy wanted to come see it and most likely take it.

Only problem is, the thing is about 10 ft. tall and heavy - even when empty. So it takes a tractor to set it up or take it down.

I asked a neighbor if one of her two sons (who will usually do anything to make an extra dollar here and there) could get a tractor with a bucket to help me set it over onto a trailer. I guess one of them had been a bad boy with grandpa's tractor so it couldn't be borrowed.

I asked another neighbor who also goes to our church if they had a tractor and could possibly help. I mentioned that I had planned on paying some young men so she could pass along that I wasn't looking for a complete and total favor - there was some money to be made.

The weekend comes, I get the call so I ask officially about their help. We agree on a time - everything is set.

I really thought the job would take about 10-15 minutes but as things usually work out - it took almost an hour. I was feeling bad about the amount of time, time spent in the very cold and of course fuel as their rather large tractor was running the entire time.

We finished up, no one got hurt and the bin survived the man-handling one more time.

I dashed inside to get my checkbook to write out a couple of checks before my neighbors could leave. We spent a few minutes wrestling as I tried to shove the checks in a coat pocket. I finally succeeded only to be chased outside being told, "No, no." I ended up taking the money back, said "thank you" over and over but was told; "That's what neighbors are for."

This still takes some getting used to for me. I don't like asking for favors, I hate being a bother.

But here's a sort of public thanks to David and Scotty.

Thanks.