WJBC Forum – A Plate of Cookies Goes a Long Way

(Photo by Flickr/scubadive67)

In my twenty five years of living in Chicago, there was one thing I never got used to. You never got to know your neighbors. Granted, I lived in a high rise all that time, so maybe that had something to do with it. But I still found it odd that for the most part I didn’t even know the names of some of my neighbors on my same floor. Oh sure, we would exchange pleasantries in the elevator, the lobby, or the hallway, but you got the sense that if you tried to strike up a conversation beyond good morning or good evening, it would be met with a startled look or stare.

I especially found this puzzling because out on the public streets, Chicagoans, and I considered myself one, were helpful to a fault whenever a total stranger or tourist stopped and asked for directions. We would go out of our way to be neighborly to these lost souls, but not necessarily to our own high rise neighbors.

I bring this up because all of that changed when Cheryl and I moved back home to Bloomington. Our moving trucks were barely out of our driveway when the doorbell rang and there stood a couple in their early seventies, holding a plate of just baked warm chocolate chip cookies to welcome us to the neighborhood. To say this was a most pleasant change of developments would be an understatement.

They were our next door neighbors, George and Ottilie Womack, and their daughter Natalie. From that day, some twelve years ago, until now, we were all good friends. We would watch each other’s houses when either of us would be on vacation, we’d bring in each other’s mail to hold until our return, we’d water each other’s flowers, and the list went on and on. We’d even bring each other little presents from our various vacations.

Sadly, George passed away in 2005, followed not too many years after by daughter Natalie, and now dear Ottilie has also passed on. We just went to her memorial service Sunday, and her neighbors on the other side of her were also there.

As sad as this time is for us, I cannot wait to carry on the Womack’s tradition, not found in Chicago, but here in my hometown, by bringing a plate of warm cookies to whoever our new next door neighbors might be.

This has been Michael J. Whelan for the WJBC Forum.

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Mike Whelan has been a licensed practicing attorney for over thirty-three years. He also serves as an arbitrator in the 11th Judicial Circuit Mandatory Arbitration program. In addition, he is presently the president of the board of directors of his homeowners association, and is also a member of the board of directors of The Old House Society. He and his wife of thirty-one plus years, Cheryl Whelan, live in Bloomington. He and Cheryl enjoy exercising, reading, and being close to family and friends.

The opinions expressed within WJBC’s Forum are solely those of the Forum’s author, and are not necessarily those of WJBC or Townsquare Media.