There outta be a law about neighborhood leaf raking schedules

There outta be a law.

When you rake your leaves, your neighbors have to do the same simultaneously. I mean at the exact same moment. Like in military march step.

By that, I mean if I rake on Saturday, they have to be out there doing the same thing too. Now, I’m not sure if I want that law to apply in reverse? Would I have to rake when they chose to go first?

I really don’t like that one.

I paid the yard guy 40 bucks to get all the leaves up yesterday. He did a nice job, sweeping out the stairwell, the flower beds, mulching, tidying up the front stoop and making the place look all spiffy.

Since my neighbors forgot the good neighbor policy and left their's down, you guessed the rest.

By morning, there’s a fresh cover of leaves blown from my neighbors across the street, the home to the west and my next door neighbors. Do I get my money back from my handyman? Heck no. He’s got the dough and he’s long gone.

Too bad, so sad for me.

There was a time in my previous life when I served as council member and even mayor for one year in my little village of Olivette.

It was a high paying job. We got $20 bucks a month salary if we needed it or not, until I overcame bureaucratic control and got that amount upped to a whopping $100 a month.

So much on that subject. If I had half a brain, I’d have gotten them to vote a new leaf raking law onto the books. I wasn’t quick thinking enough back then.

The ordinance would read something like this: “Whereas we have bundles of leaves each fall in the City of Olivette, and whereas these leaves start falling from the trees each September and whereas these leaves start to pile up and get all smelly and wet and whereas these leaves all need to be raked and bagged/and or blown to the curb, the City of Olivette decrees that all leaves must be raked up on a simultaneous schedule (as to suit the former) mayor, and perhaps other past/present council members too.

No favoritism in the City of Olivette.

One very, very hot July day several years ago, I was mowing my lawn and minding my own business. A former mayor (we shall keep her name secret to protect the innocent) drove by and honked. You see, I live on two busy through streets. She said from her stopped car: “What the heck are you doing, cutting your own grass? I used to have Public Works do that,” she bellowed with huge grin and tongue in cheek planted firmly in place-then roaring off down the street.

Win or lose, all those leaves have to come up and be dragged to the curb.

I look out my window and see the leaves on the trees (especially across the street) are still rusty orange and hanging on. They want to wait until December to finally fall and inevitably blow across the road and into my yard.

The first snow will fall, and you guessed it, crunchy leaves will be planted all over the yard, firmly below all that clean white fluffy stuff.

Spring will finally come, and they will still need raking.