Hours of the Day
After a crabby greeting from Puck, he calmed down under a cool fan and a can of “fake pop” [sparkling water] in the basement away from the muggy dark clouds of the late morning.
Curly left for Nashville after twelve. Now that universities were done and done, he returned to less classroom and more music and Apple repairs.
“Make sure you bring a gas tank with you!” Puck suggested, helping him load the car. “Just in case!”
Gloria seared – I think that’s what they call it – bison rear end on the stove. At least Joe took some pride in labeling it that way. The older gentlemen conversated on the front porch with cigars as Izzy returned from ultimate frisbee to experiment with his homemade steady-cam.
Big boy was 24.
This warranted juicy pork steaks, stuffed mushrooms, and blueberry crumble at the wizardry hands of his older sister.
Not this older sister.
Of course.
Topped on with the Ferrari, the movies with Dad, and the ballgame with Wally, it wasn’t a shabby show.
Yeah so anyway. This ballgame… Two boys who didn’t care a red cent about baseball, somehow magical-ed themselves into seats behind the visitor’s dugout for the Labor Day series home opener against the New York Mets.
Only Joe and Wally.
Grandma Combs also arrived to celebrate. Unfortunately Grandma Snicketts wasn’t able to make the car ride. After the falls, multiple back surgeries, cementing, pins, residual pain, etc., automobiles just usually made the problem worse.
Grandma set a long thin cardboard box on the kitchen table.
“Your birthday present, Collette,” she explained with a big grin.
My birthday isn’t until December, but Grandma doesn’t typically observe these sorts of stringent dates. Fortunately for us.
“I figured you could use it now,” she suggested.
How could I not? An authentic Louisville Slugger baseball bat ordered by Uncle Mo while visiting Kentucky with my name inscribed at the top. Of course. We all took turns carrying it around throughout the afternoon and evening. It’s like holding a wallet or a phone. You just feel more complete with it.
Other trees had met worse fates.
Dad and the boys had finally toppled the old… whatever… in the backyard – a sprawled ecosystem of worm trails, rotted wood, and disemboweled trunk tied up with ropes and… curling ribbon?… Puck joined Carrie walking the fallen limbs, until the mosquitoes chased us off…
“A mosquito landed on my lip,” Puck explained to me as I washed insect blood from my hands and leg. “He knew I was his owner. That was to say ‘hello’.”
Before the birthday candles, Joe peeled back tissue and wrapping paper. Grandma always offers a unique spin on gifts. This time it was a menorah – yes, a menorah; no, we are not Jewish – embellished with various vintage fuel pumps and gauges.
“Huh,” the Bear laughed. “Your dad and I were just talking about casual religious ceremonies…”
A deep bag of American Eagle fabrics waited next – stylish sweaters, jeans, and other items, which Joe modeled for the family, one by one…
“Why is that shirt that color?”
“That color is supposed to look good on everyone.”
“What is it?”
“Teal?”
“No, it’s turquoise.”
“Are you sure?”
“It accentuates my muscles,” Joe flexed both arms.
“I didn’t see anything,” Francis grinned. “Do it again.”
Joe flipped Francis backwards in the rocker, “Where are my manners?” he guttural-ed in some sort of backwoods accent. “I didn’t tuck in my shirt. There. There we go.”
He waddled around sticking his backside out to the groans of all gathered.
“Oh pardon me. I just have to pick this up…”
He bent over to the continued groans and hands plastered over eyes.
What is it with my siblings and rear ends?…
“He needs the next size up,” Dad insisted.
[He was actually referring to the polo.]
So you know that’s kind of how it goes around here. Rose and I discussed the possibility of living dinosaurs and lake monsters, frustrations with the boxes of natural sciences. Grandma wanted to know if Dad still kept the lava lamp she gifted him years ago…
“Yup. It’s still in my office. I turn it on sometimes.”
“Oh! It helped you write your papers – it helped you become a doctor!” Grandma laughed.
“Yeah, the lamp was more interesting than the paper,” Carrie joked.
Puck was tired, so we took off, but I think Joe was going to have friends over for a bonfire or movies. Carrie was going to dye Rose’s hair. It’s just one endless parade and party, even if it doesn’t always include sparklers and pinatas. What can I say. One parade I don’t mind attending.