Curbing
It started because the kids ignored me if not beat me up. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong, so I tried to buy friends by giving them gifts, starting with Bazooka bubble gum.
I’m still unpopular and I still give stuff away. Now, my venue is the curb, I guess because I can leave stuff there whenever I want and I don’t impose the awkwardness of asking someone, “You want this?”
My most popular giveaway is butterfly stakes (see image above.) People stick them in their front yards — As I walk the neighborhood, there are dozens. Makes me feel good.
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I also give away seeds and plants. I love comparing varieties and put on the curb those that are good but not up to my compulsive standards. Those include mini roses I’ve hybridized, each with a blank heart-shaped little plant label and a sign, “Feel free to name this after someone you care about.”
Relatedly, I recall as a child the guilty pleasure of taking peaches from the tree next to a neighbor’s curb. Paying it back, living in citrus country, I’ve planted orange trees in the parking strip with a sign saying, Please take.”
Care to try curbing?
I read this aloud on YouTube.
Marty Nemko is a career and personal coach, and author of 36 books including How to Do Life. You can reach him at mnemko@gmail.com
