I had the distinctly humbling experience of sharing an umbrella with my father on this rainy eggs and doughnuts day. It was barely raining when we went in to eat and pouring by the time we got to the home to visit Mama. They called yesterday to say that she's on antibiotics now and has a skin tear which is not unusual for her. We sat at the booth next to my high school biochemistry teacher/JFK conspiracy theory expert and he and Daddy talked football the entire time which was fun even for me. They went through the history of the SEC and Big 10 several times, including the Manning legacy that started with Archie Who? at Ole Miss. I can tell that I am becoming an elder like them because I still know what they're talking about. Mom was sitting in her wheelchair with her leg propped on the bed when we rolled in. Daddy was reading the church bulletin to her when I got back from parking and texting. She asked what was going on in Dyersburg and we both said "not a thing" which is mostly true. Our front page news lately has been the pedophile who has a dog chained to his camper and won't give it up for adoption.
I noticed that the handyman and his guy were adding quite a bit to their piles in the yard where the crazy people no longer live. You would not believe how much shit, literally...was in that house. It was built around the time mine was, around 1918 but is in much worse shape due to years of neglect. The view, however, is to die for and somebody will pay big bucks to stay there if they get it looking decent. I shudder to think about the life those kids lived under that roof. Bobby said about a year ago he went for a plumbing job and was met at the door by a pitbull guarding Jenny. She walked through dog poop across roaches on the floor and plopped back on the couch when he got in. It was the quickest job he ever did!
The Hughen family lived there when I was a kid and many more since them. Shirley and Tiko...Robert Miller the mighty coyote killer. My brother. BG and her friends. It's been around the block and there is still spray paint on the basement wall where they created graffiti as kids. There are two fireplaces which I would die for, but not sure the chimney is up to code. The entire bathroom is gutted which is okay because it was never big enough anyway. One former tenant called it the "little bathroom house."
So the holiday season is upon us and everywhere I go people ask if I'm "ready for Christmas." Meaning have I shopped til I dropped and spent money I don't have on things that people don't need. No I have not, nor will I. Black Friday is just another work day for me and so is Thanksgiving. I'm doing it for the time and a half so I can get some propane. Maybe. Hopefully.
Osar and Ryder always follow me down to the grands' house and they were still there when I brought daddy home, both of them soaking wet and thinking they were gonna lay on MY bed. NOT! I love 'em, but. Sam and Sophie don't like getting wet so much so they've stayed curled up all morning while the odd couple roamed.
Other than that? I got nothing. Keep the faith ^j^
No comments:
Post a Comment