Fleeting Ideals

I was sitting on the couch listening to the Thunder game and the clickety clack of my knitting needles. I went to a little Knit Night earlier this week, and when Cora saw the five or six rows I'd done, she wanted me to make her a scarf. And that's exactly what I was doing when there was a knock on the door. It was around 9PM, and I knew who it was. I've developed a sort of radar for this friend.

I've written about her before, but I haven't seen her in a while. For a time she was coming by a lot, and it was almost always during Magnolia's nap. I eventually put a "Please do not ring doorbell" sign on the doorbell because she was at least a double dinger. Anyway, tonight she came by with a dog she's had for about a week. We sat down on the front porch and talked for a while. They just bought a home in a neighboring city, and she's excited about it. In addition to the dog she had with her, her step-son bought a dog that he couldn't keep at his mom's house, so it also ended up in her home. They're trying to figure out which one they should keep. She was telling me about the dogs. Here's a sampling of parts of the conversation: "Well, this one has been nutted [pause] fixed, I guess." And when talking of how he was housebroken, "He can hold himself really good. He doesn't piss and crap all over the house like the other one."

She told me about how she'd been to the dentist for a cleaning, and will have x-rays next week to determine the health of the rest of her teeth. I was really happy to hear about that because I know she's self-conscious. The house they're buying will need some work, and she was making lists with me. When it got to the kitchen, she really lit up. She knows what she wants. Her husband renovate homes for a living, and when he was telling her what they could do, she let him know everything in the kitchen would have to go through her. "And he better listen because it's about time I start getting to make decisions about something in my life. I feel like I'm always following after other peoples' plans, but I have my own, and I'm going to start being in charge of my life." What a profound lesson to learn from her husband talking about cutting down some cabinets for a breakfast bar. I hope she owns that new insight.

Something about her was especially lovely tonight. Two houses are being renovated across the street, and I would see her drive up and talk to the workers about how she could move into the houses. The owner of the one directly across the street used the word "harass" when talking about her. She'd even called him. I was relieved that it wouldn't work out because I wasn't sure I could handle her as my across the street neighbor. Which is ironic because after talking to her tonight, I feel a little sad. And I'm not just sad because of the entertaining conversations she makes. I like her. Who will take her place in our neighborhood? I will have to work of staying in touch with people.

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