One That Knows

Carl called again. Carl does this all the time. Someone should take Carl's telephone away. He says "Welcome." He says that followed by total silence. Carl has made a habit of this.

I purchased a home down the street from Carl almost a year ago. Everyone knows each other and Carl considers this communion, this happenstance nearness is reason to take over communication like he's the friendliest Genghis Khan ever.

So what did Carl have to tell me today? Happily he asks me to come by; he wanted to show me something. I walk over after I'd listed a a lot of reasons not to. Carl expertly unfurled them to the just excuses. He was good at this. If Carl is good at anything, that thing is unfurling

Carl's accommodations are as noisy as Carl. Marking winter ending he's set-up a nine foot tall, decorative groundhog. Swaying, it welcomes me. The best neighbor ever swings open his front door before I can ring the doorbell. He has an ear-to-ear smile. He takes me by the crux of my elbow back out to the front lawn. Carl stares upward. I do too. We're both looking up. I wait.

"See that?" No. "It's my new gutter cover." Wow. "I love it". That seamless cover keeps leaves and stuff from clogging everything, which limits the amount of cleaning service I have to provide." And Carl, for once, was actually onto something.