Ghost of Midnight

Seeking relationship-based answer over computer-generated one

Eva saw a sign on a utility pole in her rural corner of Underhill, Vt. in late August announcing “The Rover is Coming!” She was eager to know more so that she could unload her household hazardous waste. But, alas, the print was too small on the sign and she missed the details as she drove by.

Later that day, she asked her neighbors for help by posting to her local Front Porch Forum: “Does anyone know where and when the Rover is coming and what it will take? Thanks.”

She got her answer and more, as she shared in her follow-up posting the next day:

I guess I am new school enough to use Front Porch Forum but just enough old school that “Googling” is still not an instinctive response.

There is just enough old school left in me to naturally seek out a relationship-based answer over a computer-generated one, albeit through the computer.

I am so glad that I did! I “met” my next door neighbor through my FPF inquiry and had a nice back and forth introduction via email.

I would have missed the opportunity by turning solely to “www”. And just maybe my inquiry let others know, who didn’t already, that the Rover was on its way next month.

This is FPF in a nutshell: solve a problem and connect with neighbors along the way.