Watching out for each other

To the Editor:

I always thought that one of the benefits of growing up and then raising my children in Rumford was that people watched out for each other.

I have noticed that while some people are still very thoughtful of others, some are not. I am proud of my town when I witness people going out of their way to assist someone.

For example, I noticed an employee of Hometown Energy shoveling out the fuel pipe on the house where an elderly couple lives. This is not his job, but instead of refusing to deliver oil, he took the initiative to do something kind for a citizen of our community without looking for anything in return, and that gave me hope that the children of this town will someday continue to be the citizens we should all strive to be.

The very next day, my husband left to go to work at 3 a.m., only to fund that a local plowing company (apparently aggravated at where he parked) pushed all the snow into his rig and trailer, making it impossible for him to move the truck.

A local telephone number is listed on the side of our truck, where a call with request for us to move our rig would have easily solved the problem, but that courtesy was not extended to us. Instead, the owner of the plow company treated us with disrespect.

Again, my faith in our citizens was renewed when a local trucker, Phil Tarr, took the time out of his busy day to stop and pull my husband out. I am grateful for people like those at Hometown Energy and Jay Gerrish, who are examples I can point out to my children, and I hope I am one of those examples, too. Are you?

Shannon Scott