Edward Jimmis does not care if his neighbor has cancer. No, actually he’s pleased that that son of a bitch is suffering. And the community of Cranston, Rhode Island is pissed.
Jimmis broadcasted his feeling on a cardboard note on his window facing the home of Bob Gold, who is in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a condition he’s been dealing with since 2009. When Gold noticed the placard reading, “Glad you have canser (sic), do die stupid”, in the center of holiday wreath, he was outraged. He called the police and reporters, who in turn spoke to the cranky and stubborn Jimmis. Eventually, he changed to sign to say, “Love your neighbor.”
The Providence Journal spoke to the curmudgeon, who had this to say for himself:
After changing the sign, Jimmis said he had posted the first sign after disputes with Gold. “I wanted to hit a nerve,” he said.
Asked why he changed the sign, Jimmis said: “You’re supposed to love your neighbor. I’m doing him a favor.”
Hit a nerve he did, because Gold was a man to giving up a fight! He took this intolerable matter to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society then straight to the top—the mayor. Then he rallied the neighborhood to make their own signs: “Leave our peaceful neighborhood,” “Evil to cancer patients,” “Shame on you,” and “God please help him”! Police had to step in to resolve such a serious public dispute:
Applying the city’s community policing model, Chief Palombo on Tuesday afternoon sent a lieutenant, a sergeant and a patrol officer to discuss the situation with the men and work toward restoring harmony. Two patrol officers stood by and two members of the command staff joined Palombo in supporting the protest.
Quite a show of force, I’d say. In “supporting the protest,” did the officers come with their own protest signs? Jimmis already changed the sign, for goodness sake. Is this a sitcom? And what could have set this whole dispute off?
Personally, I’m hoping for an outcome parallel to a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode.
