Mending+Wall+Narrative+Christine

Just as we do every spring, my neighbor John and I headed to our wall to mend it. Yes, the very wall that separates my property from his.

There was an awkward silence as we walked towards the wall.

Honestly, I felt that there is no need for it. In fact, I felt this every year. There is nothing special that we have to protect within our properties. All I have are apples, and all John has are pines. And I will never steal his pines and there is no way my apples will steal his pines!

“You know, it’s not like my apples are going to take your pines!” I said jokingly.

John merely nodded, and I saw his brows furrow. There was the awkward silence again. “So, you know this wall has been up for some time, but do you think it’s necessary? I mean, don’t you think it’s time we let this wall crumble?” I asked hoping that John would agree with me.

“Good fences make good neighbors.” he replied in a low but bold voice.

Hearing his brief but clear reply, I decided to bring up the subject no longer.

But I could not help contemplating about what my neighbor had said when I was collecting the stones for the wall.

“Wy do good fences make good neighbors? And there are no need for fences here for we have nothing to protect!”

While all these thoughts were going through my head, I could see John, calmly placing a stone on top of the wall.

Feeling my gaze on him, he repeated, “Good fences make good neighbors. My father taught me that.”

Then I saw that there was a crucial difference in our beliefs about neighbors between us that would account for why this wall had stayed for all those years. I guess the wall will stay forever...