The Grass is Always Snowier
Are My Neighbors Taking Advantage of Me?
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-Bill
Dear Shaun,
Am I obligated to clear the snow from my neighbor’s sidewalk? This isn’t a they work weird hours or they are elderly and need the help thing. They are able bodied, they work from home as far as I know, and own a snowblower! I have seen it in their shed when they leave the door ajar. I walk my dog and rely on cleared walks to get them their exercise. If I do it, I’m helping myself out but also giving myself more work. If I don’t do it, I don’t have a reliable area to walk my dogs. What should I do?
-Snowed In
Dear Snowed In,
A conundrum! I get it, I wouldn’t want to clear out someone else’s walk ALL THE TIME. Every once in a while? Sure. If they need the extra help, what is so wrong with lending a helping hand to your neighbor? But if you must do it for every time it snows, then they are just getting free labor. But you need that area clear? Maybe there is another way to walk? I am unsure of your street situation. I will assume you need this walkway no matter what.
Of course you can be a snitch. When I used to live downtown, I wouldn’t snitch on my fellow man, but I 100% snitched on landlords, who are definitely not people. I used to live in a part of Worcester where there a bunch of abandoned warehouses and storage facilities and the landlords were just sitting on them until they could sell to turn them into condos or apartments or whatever. Since moving, they have been sold and are doing just that! Good business, business man.
However when they were just sitting on them, they didn’t do anything to really maintain them. Which meant that they didn’t shovel or plow the their sidewalks. And I have two dogs and at the time a baby. Sometimes I just wanted to get out of the house and take my baby on a stroll in their carriage. Or walk the dogs to get some energy out, you know like a responsible dog owner. But I found myself having to walk in the street because these dipshits wouldn’t be courteous.
So yeah, I snitched. There’s an online form where you can tell on these cretins. Here it is.
They may get fined for everyday they don’t clear their walk, and I would fill out that form everyday. Now, I’m not saying do this to your neighbors. Based on the idea that you are torn about what to do means you have at least some sort of relationship with them and don’t want to ruffle feathers. Which is why my suggestion it to dump all of your snow onto the mouth of their driveway and sidewalks. I mean all of your snow. Not just your walks. Clear your yard. Give your dog a place to run around on the green, green grass, up and down your sidewalks and no where near that mound of snow next door. Do it at night, and make it seem like it was a fluke or there were wind gusts. Don’t give in. You’ve given in plenty of times before when you clear their walk. Hold strong and enjoy your yard in a time when we don’t typically have one.
Send any and all questions to woocomedyweek@gmail.com with the subject line "Bad Advice."
NEWS
This week is the week folks! The Sort of Late Show is this Friday at Off the Rails. We have comedian Danya Trommer, musical guest Hakiim, special guests photographer, Kool Aid George Annan, and from 100.1 the Pike, Mike Hsu. We also have a very special segment featuring the one and only Donna Connolly, my mom! It is called A Nice Little Spot with Donna Connolly and it just me and her eating and raving about a restaurant in Worcester. This one features Wooden Bar. You’ll not want to miss it. You can still get tickets online, and there will be some available at the door.
