Chuckadoodle

He is tall and angular with long, thin legs. A head of gorgeous brown hair, all large curls and thick. It is soft when I ruffle it.
He called today, "Do you have a lawn-mower I can borrow?".."Sure, absolutely!" I answered before adding, "What about your dad, he lives closer."..."Oh dad is really picky about his lawn-mower, won't let us use it unless he is standing right there.".."Ok, sure, come on over and pick it up"

The Missouri heat has descended on us and the cicadas are dense. Eighty-eight degrees today, humid and sunny. The forecast is for eighty-eight degrees (or thereabout) all week, with the possibility of rain.

He drove his grandfather's (now his) small truck over and parked it in the drive, easily loading the lawnmower into the truck bed, driving home (to his rental) before returning to unload and return the mower to its rightful place in the small shed.

Afterward he came in, sat down at the kitchen table and we briefly talked. "My birthday is in just about a week."..."I know honey, are you working?"..."No" he said, laughing, "no"...."Oh..darnit, I scheduled a meeting for that night at six, I thought you would be working (pause, I'm an idiot), early supper?"..."Sure" he replied smiling and adding, "Flat Branch?"  So it was decided, Flat Branch and a beer on the patio if the weather is nice. A beer for both of us. He'll be twenty-one.

"It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't."  Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams.