While watching the leaves lay a carpet on our front lawn this year, my thoughts took me back to the times when a much younger me looked upon this scene with a keen desire to grab the rake. A chance to make some spending money was just outside our gate. A few friends and I would knock on the doors of the people we knew first, as we needed some confidence for the newcomers and folks on the next block. When we found a customer, the raking job was “on the spot”, no future arrangements as there were other “rakers” at the ready. Ahhh, the good old days, no lawn companies to compete with.
Needless to say, I was very surprised and I had to smile as I read a notice left in my mailbox a few days later: “Grass Cutting,” by C, asking five bucks for front yard and five for back. Aha, a “Raker”!
We spoke on the phone and set a date for him to tackle the job. He showed up fully equipped with a leaf blower and an assistant, his sister. They were so polite and went straight to work explaining that he would have another helper, his dad, come by to help bag and take away the leaves once they were finished. I thought $5 was crazy good for all this work and offered to give him extra money but he said “It's fine” so I told him he could give the extra to his helper and he was okay with that. I had errands which took me away from the house so I left the money and went on my way. Upon return, the lawn was leafless and the bags were gone, just as he said. My husband and I were so impressed with the manners of our Rakers, we made arrangements for repeat work.
That work happened on Thanksgiving weekend on the very cool Saturday and rainy/snowy Monday. We left them raking when we went for turkey dinner, Saturday, so I'm not sure how long they worked, but there were LOTS of leaves to pick up. The lawn was finished and there were huge piles of leaves on the boulevard waiting to be bagged up when we got home. Thankfully, winds weren't up that weekend so they returned on Monday to finish the job. I didn't hear them outside and if they knocked on the door, it was very softly, so as not to disturb. When I checked late in the afternoon, the leaves and bags were gone and the Rakers hadn't received their pay so we called and left a message. Turns out, his Mom and Dad helped bag the leaves and then took them to their house to be taken to the recycle so we wouldn't need to do it. When we offered to pay more, again we had to negotiate. Seriously, when does that happen!
So, to sum things up, this Thanksgiving, we are very thankful for our family and friends and for the reassurance that our world is in the good hands of the Rakers and their parents who are showing them the way. Oh, C does snow shovelling too, so how lucky can we be. Thanks C and family.
Lorraine McFarlane, St. Albert
