July 25, 2026

Yard work

My eccentric landlord asked me if I was available to help with some yard work. I offered my help and schlepped a bunch of cinder blocks, and chopped down the leftovers of a 50-year-old palm tree stump. A solid sweat while the radio was playing. The guys have some kind of audio playing at all times. It drives me nuts but also distracts from my dark thoughts and triggers a nice childhood nostalgia. Pete's ears are not exactly sharp, so I have to speak loud. He speaks loud, and seems to have been since forever. He has many modest peculiarities. So many, it makes me feel good about myself.

A major one is doing things the right way. The right way is a mix of common sense and personal preference. One of them is to always rest the rake with the tines facing away to avoid the "Cartoon Trap." I made a few little mistakes in the three hours we spent in the yard. I said sorry reflexively a few times. No big deal. We kept moving.

While putting the tools back in the shed, I improperly placed one. I said sorry again. He looked at me, mildly annoyed: "That's fine. Repair. Stop apologizing."