The "Memories of a Best Neighbor" Story

Duane H. "Hank" Harvey

It was an ordinary day.  That was until I opened the newspaper and saw that Duane H. "Hank" Harvey had died a couple of days ago.  Hank was my neighbor.  But, Hank was more than that.  He was a good friend who would do just about anything for you.  Nah, make that he would do everything for you.  I caught some of the neighborhood critters in Hank's trap.  Returned the trap and he told me to keep it, since I did much better than he did with it.  I painted my house with Hank's ladder. I cut my grass with Hank's lawn mover a few times when mine was on the blink.  Starting to get the idea of how nice Hank really was.  Hank lived in the house next to Carol and I when we moved in to our "Beach House" almost 20 years ago.  Big burly guy that looked like a surfer with the tan skin and blond hair.  Oh yeah, he had the biggest smile to go along with his appearance.  We talked about everything including our families and other neighbors.  After finding out that Hank held a captain's license to sail a catamaran I asked him if he would be willing to captain a boat in the Caribbean for Carol and me and a few of our friends.  Wasn't long before he was in my kitchen cooking a meal for eight to show us what we could expect with him as the cook and captain.  Answered all the questions and even showed us a photo of himself cooking a meal on deck with nothing on other than his apron!  Wow, going to be a great trip.  Week or two later two of the couples backed out and we were never able to take the trip, but I'm sure it would have been one of the best adventures we would ever experience.  Hank loved cars and when I told him I was going to sell my Corvette he got out his check book and gave me a check for the car.  Had the perfect place for the car in his lower level garage he told me and to top that he said I could drive it whenever I wanted to.  Now that is a good neighbor!  Hank and his wife Judy visited with us for supper several times and we did likewise with them at their home.  Then Judy died a few years ago.  Hank was strong, but I knew he missed her.  Told me he met her one day when he was riding his motorcycle and pulled up next to this car that had the top down and Judy driving.  Looked over at her and told her he was going to marry her!  And he did!!!!!  Few years later he told me he was going to move to Detroit to take over a foundry business.  Talk about disappointment on my part.  Stopped to see him the day before he was scheduled to leave for Detroit and he was busy in his lower level garage.  Had some of his tools and ladders still on the floor.  Asked me if I was interested in them and I said I would buy the aluminium extension ladder from him.  I asked him how much he wanted for it and he asked me how much I had in my pocket.  Reached in and pulled out $20.  After seeing what I had in my hand he said, "The whole works is yours for the $20.  Hank did meet his second wife while working in Detroit and stopped to visit with us in Lancaster when he returned to see his daughters.   Seems he always stopped to visit on his trips back to Lancaster.  Then a year ago he told me he was going to buy a home in Venice, Florida and someday retire there with his new wife Lorraine.  I told him he would never retire, since he loved his job so much.  "You retire and it'll kill you," I remember I told him.  It did!  He retired this past December and shortly after he died.  He was 70 years old, still looked like a surfer the last time I saw him, and the best neighbor a person could have.  RIP Hank!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.