Innocent Inter-Family Squabbles

Once I had all of my early morning duties at office taken care of, it wasn't but a half hour later, I could hear concrete saws grinding away out at the back of my office, so I went out there, and discovered a cloud of dust encircling my vehicle, so I immediately grabbed my keys and parked it out front.

I guess what had me a little peeved, was not having been given any forewarning from that contractor, but at least they finally got started on that long-overdue correcting of my back alley's grade. I did mention to all involved, that I'd better not have to endure another winter like I did this past with my nearly slipping and falling a number of times on that frozen puddle of ice, and after going thru at least a 40 lb. bag of chicken grit, there were still icy spots forming. From what I was told, there was an engineer's sketch of how it was to be corrected, but after looking it over, I just kept my mouth shut and sent it all down as being another 'good as it gets' in this faraway outpost we call a city.

It was a good thing they called me back out there several times, because they still hadn't removed all that extra gravel they'd dumped on my lot, just to get it level with that newly poured and overly-tall alley section. Fortunately we got a good rain this afternoon, so I went back out after the most recent downpour and watched it running down the alley like it did before they screwed it up, so hopefully there won't be a standing pond of ice back there this coming winter. I did happen to notice there was water coming from a downspout belonging to my neighbor, so if they don't stop moving that flexible hose over and pointing it towards my side, I'll likely be giving the owner of it a call. As most don't know, we are not to be purposely directing rain water onto another's property. I can't begin to tell you how many times owners have come to me asking for direction regarding a neighbor or two, purposely doing such a thing.

For whatever reason, this must've been the day for various familiars to call and share their joys and sorrows over recent happenings in their lives, and of course they all know I'm always willing to listen and then offer up my thoughts which usually puts them at ease.

My first caller was just looking for some direction regarding some health issues that've creeped up on her, and since she's always been very active, I could tell there was a deep frustration in her voice. She's likely facing several surgeries in the near future, but I assured her all would be well because there've been great strides with making today's surgical procedures far less invasive than they were say 20 years ago. After talking her down off her 'ledge', she finally came to the understanding that such things come with growing old, and all any of us can do, is adjust and continue making the best of it. Before hanging up, she soulfully thanked me for helping her put it all in perspective.

My next caller was from a woman I've known for a number of years, and the moment she spoke, I knew something was heavy on her shoulders, so after we dispensed with the normal questions and answers, her voice immediately turned more emotional when she began sharing some recent happenings in her immediate family. The more she spoke about it, the more internally angry I become, and only because she'd been verbally and attacked by an old lady in her family, and likely because that biddy knew she could get away with it.

Yes, that was another person on a 'ledge' who needed all the more encouragement to free herself from the hurts she received. Having personally endured just about every form of viciousness for nearly a decade, I was able to help her put it all in perspective. One question she asked was, "How can family members get away with being so cruel?", and my matter-of-fact response was, "Because they can.", which is why many of the really bad things we've heard about, are happening within family units, and unfortunately the general public usually dismisses such as innocent inter-family squabbles. Oh how wrong the public can be. Since I'd crossed paths several times with the perpetrator of those vile words, I assured my caller that it's all on the biddy, and leave it at that. Truth be told, I could sense an evil in that person from the get-go. Can you imagine someone who's well into their eighties directing such toxic words at a junior? I certainly feel fortunate in having had parents and grandparents who always managed to maintain decorum. As my grandmother used to say, "To think something evil is bad enough, but to say it, is beyond acceptable." My how our culture has changed.

Another call I received, ended up on the subject of haunted houses, and since the both of us respect each other's privacy, we spent a good half hour comparing ghostly happenings in our lives. Of course I had to bring up the subject again of the poltergeist I'd crossed paths with a number of years ago, just to remind her that everything I mentioned about that experience, was the gospel truth. She did mention something I'd nearly forgotten, which were the 'scents' I'd encountered on occasion. She mentioned that after multiple owners coming and going from her grandmother's house, she had an opportunity to tour it years later, and when walking in, she could immediately smell 'grandma's' perfume. Of course wicked me had to top that one with the lingering smell of horse hooves I'd encountered in the strangest of places. You can bet, I'll never forget that experience. Yes, wet horse hooves!

Another storm rolled thru our area again, and now looking like we'll get more this weekend, so hopefully our drying soils will get replenished with the much-needed moisture. When looking at my cucumbers tonight, it will so be the beginning of my 'gifting' the excess produce from them.

Tonight's One-liner is: Necessity is not an established fact, but an interpretation.

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