A Yard Full Of Men

I always have men at my house these days. Not dates, men, men who work. Men who I have to pay. Not the cute escort kind, but muscular workmen with hammers and saws. This is a good thing. My main man Jimmy has been here on and off since September when the rains came and lasted for seven days and nights. First it was water intruding into my basement, then it was rotten wood on the sheds, then I needed lattice between the sheds to keep the dogs from sneaking after stray mice. It is a never ending list of things a gal needs done when she can't even change a light bulb over her head. Jimmy brings other men with him, younger men, his sons. They all work in my back yard, saw horses set up, sawing wood and other things. I sit and write at the computer and glance to my left and outside the widow are the backs of men working. My dogs gather at the kitchen door barking and howling as these men go in and out the wood gate to get tools and supplies. Those things that men buy at hardware stores and love to carry in their pockets or in their tool belt.  All the flurry of work makes me flush with excitement. It is as nice as having a husband working in the yard only I don't have to fix lunch. And then they do something most husbands don't. They clean up everything and put away their tools when they finish for the day. I can sit on my deck (the deck that my man Jimmy made for me last month) and watch the dogs run through the yard and not worry they will trip on some workman's belongings.

The Reverand who mows my yard came up today to see what all the fuss was a buzzin about in my yard. Jimmy and sons were working on the wood fence by my kitchen door. "Better move that corvette," the Rev told me, "might get hit with some of that flying wood." Then he offered to crank it up and move it for me. Then Jimmy and his sons said they would be happy to move the corvette also. No one is moving my car unless it's me. But there was a big flutter of excitement about my 79 corvette. Truth is I haven't cranked it in a good while and I think it is time to get it on the road and leave my van behind. I'll just shop for smalls that can tuck in the seat beside me. Oh, I am sorry, dog boy Bray, you want to crank the corvette and sit in it with me. Bray is the only male allowed near my muscle car. He is a dandy boy and won't tell me how to drive.

A lovely day of sun and men, and now at nightfall I am home to snuggle with the pups. Tomorrow brings me another man, Calvin. I like to keep them coming and going. Calvin has his hauling truck and we are going to pick up a charming ole blue cupboard I bought. Shopping I did when my yard was full of men a working.

Widow's Lesson Learned: It takes many men to make me happy, workmen that is. But it will take just one man to make me smile.