Oscar, who resides on the east 400 block of 3^rd Street will be our July 23^rd recipient of Preservation SOSs Make it Happen Project.  Oscar was a Springfield resident prior to our neighborhood being designated as historic.  He purchased his humble home on E. 3^rd in the early 80s and has resided there for nearly 30 years. 

Oscar’s home was nominated by his neighbors John and Monica for our project.  John and I went back and forth several times via email and in one he describes why Oscar is deserving of this neighborhood project:  “He is literally grateful for anything.  He is such a sweet guy.  Even with all the bad that has happened to him, he is the most cheerful person you will meet.  He always looks on the bright side of life.  His house is in desperate need of work.  He does his best with limited funds and he takes such good care of Oscar Jr.  He is really a good Dad.”

Well, we certainly agree.  Gloria, John, Monica, James (neighbor,) and I stopped by Oscar’s house after the heavy rain (and thankfully cooler weather,) and asked him if we could give him some neighborly love; paint and repair the exterior and landscape his yard.  He didn’t hesitate and said he has wanted for some time his house to be fixed so it looked nice like everyone else’s on the block.   

Oscar is a former truck driver, welder, boat captain, and construction worker.  Oscar Jr. is the oldest child who Oscar raised on his own, together they live along with (on occasion,) Oscars’s 4 grandchildren who stop by and spend time.  He divorced early (and I mean early,) on in his marriage, raising his 3 children and his ex-wife’s 2 children all by himself.  Oscar Jr. has special needs, but in conversation with Oscar and his son, it is hard to tell.  Oscar Jr. has a job, helps around the house (he does the laundry, but doesn’t like the folding part so he leaves them on top of the dryer,) and seems to schedule his day around Jeopardy and chocolate ice cream; his favorites.  He was shy (which apparently is unusual for Oscar Jr.) and is adored by the neighbors on his block and by those who know him. 

Back in the 80s when Oscar purchased, like all of the “old-timers” of the hood say, it was pretty scary.  He states that he was the ONLY resident on his block.  No one else lived there and all the houses were vacant.  “People vanished.  Moved out.”  On the corner of Walnut and 3^rd the commercial buildings had bars which produced a lot of negative foot traffic, drugs, and prostitution.  He talks about shooing them off his brick wall as they would loiter and cause problems on his street.  Oscar said he “did what he wanted then.”  He reminisced about the goats and pigs he had!!!  That he intended on eating the goat and the pig but they followed the kids everywhere and they become part of the family and he couldn’t kill them to eat.  Along with those farm animals, they had dogs but no longer have their own pets.  Well, technically speaking anyway, “Monkey” is John and Monica’s cat (only sort of though,) as Monkey adores Oscar Jr. and Oscar Jr. adores Monkey; thinking it must have something to do with the tuna Oscar feeds Monkey!  Oscar Sr. talks about the “tremendous upgrades” in the last 10 years in Springfield.  How there aren’t rowdy people anymore and people are friendly.  He states there “ain’t too much about it (Springfield,) I don’t like.”

John and Monica have been kind neighbors and have helped with termite tenting and roofing repairs, and John often mows his yard. Oscar is 70 years old and has had 5 operations for his heart, including open heart surgery and the insertion of 4 stints.  But despite this, he will mow John’s yard as a return favor and is extremely active in his church (he is a Deacon) at West Saint Mark on State Street, their Sunday’s are spent at the church where Oscar Jr. plays the drums!!!

I am repeatedly humbled by the goodness within people.  I am glad to meet and know people who continually do good for others without the expectation of something in return.  They just do it because it is the right thing to do.  We need more people like this in our world.  Oscar is a good man and is deserving of this community project.  I already feel good inside and it is not even July 23^rd yet!!!  A great big shout out to the folks on the 400 block of E. 3^rd who are supportive of one another no matter what they have or don’t have; it’s an inclusionary block that looks out for one another. 

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill