Let's go home and see what the neighbors brought in. When I was a young man I heard that phrase a time or two. Dad would use it. He said that in a joking manner and I was curious about it's meaning. Seems like an odd choice of words. It was the manner of speaking back in those days in my little corner of the world. A colloquial phrase. It's meaning steeped in tradition.
I grew up on the eastern end of Long Island. Farming and fishing being the chief occupations. It was a rather remote section of the country and the families living there had been there for generations. Relations and relationships were plentiful. Those that weren't directly related to one another had connections to the others. Memories were long on the island and people were dependent upon one another. The result of living in a small community and the lack of major industry. Tight knit as the saying goes.
When a family might be experiencing some difficulty, financial or personal, the others just naturally chipped in. When returning to their home, or perhaps early in the morning this family may find a gift of some sort on their doorsteps. A food of some type more times than not. A bushel of clams, a few fish or maybe some meat. It is, " what the neighbors brought in. " Never a note or any indication of who left it. That wasn't necessary. It was just," the way." In later years this tradition expanded a little to include the leaving of these gifts at any time. Say I have been fishing and caught more than I need. I might just leave them on your doorstep. The neighbors brought them in. This was in a time of less refrigeration and freezers. We wouldn't want the resources we have been provided by providence to go to waste. Also, it cost us nothing to obtain these things and the willingness to share was free-er. Literally.
So, when Dad said, let's go home and see what the neighbors brought in, he was teasing me. Insinuating that we needed these things and implying we were destitute. Poor as church mice was another common phrase. Guess church mice are different from field mice. But I'm thinking their rewards are greater.
There were times when we did receive things. Extra bounty from friends and relatives. Sometimes we knew who left it and sometimes we didn't. I expect it was the same in a lot of small communities like ours across America. It is a time I remember from my youth. A time gone by. A time I wish to revisit, but cannot. I can continue the tradition however. Go home and see what the neighbors brought in, you may be surprised.
I grew up on the eastern end of Long Island. Farming and fishing being the chief occupations. It was a rather remote section of the country and the families living there had been there for generations. Relations and relationships were plentiful. Those that weren't directly related to one another had connections to the others. Memories were long on the island and people were dependent upon one another. The result of living in a small community and the lack of major industry. Tight knit as the saying goes.
When a family might be experiencing some difficulty, financial or personal, the others just naturally chipped in. When returning to their home, or perhaps early in the morning this family may find a gift of some sort on their doorsteps. A food of some type more times than not. A bushel of clams, a few fish or maybe some meat. It is, " what the neighbors brought in. " Never a note or any indication of who left it. That wasn't necessary. It was just," the way." In later years this tradition expanded a little to include the leaving of these gifts at any time. Say I have been fishing and caught more than I need. I might just leave them on your doorstep. The neighbors brought them in. This was in a time of less refrigeration and freezers. We wouldn't want the resources we have been provided by providence to go to waste. Also, it cost us nothing to obtain these things and the willingness to share was free-er. Literally.
So, when Dad said, let's go home and see what the neighbors brought in, he was teasing me. Insinuating that we needed these things and implying we were destitute. Poor as church mice was another common phrase. Guess church mice are different from field mice. But I'm thinking their rewards are greater.
There were times when we did receive things. Extra bounty from friends and relatives. Sometimes we knew who left it and sometimes we didn't. I expect it was the same in a lot of small communities like ours across America. It is a time I remember from my youth. A time gone by. A time I wish to revisit, but cannot. I can continue the tradition however. Go home and see what the neighbors brought in, you may be surprised.
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