Doris

Last Tuesday morning my Dad and I volunteered to help this elderly woman by weeding her yard for her. So we got up early and headed over to her place. We didn't really know her, it was just some service project Dad found out about through church, but he had met her the day before. When we got there, she told us where all the stuff was that we might need and introduced herself as Doris. Little did we know that this would be an experience worth remembering for all our anecdotal needs.

I started on one half of the house and Dad on the other, but the yard wasn't very large, so we could holler at each other if necessary. At one point I glanced up and this man from the house next door was approaching my Dad with a snake on his arm and a cigarette in his free hand.

Can you say, "Sketch"??

So then he talks to my Dad for a good 15-20 minutes about his snake - how big it's going to grow and what he feeds it and such. I just kept as close to the wall as possible to keep him from noticing me working a few yards away. No time to pause from the task at hand, you know.

After we finished the weeding Dad decided to spray the ground to help prevent the weeds from growing back and make Doris' life easier in the future. So while I'm standing around without a whole lot to do, she invites me in to wash my hands and use the bathroom. After I'm done with these activities, she tells me that I HAVE to have some juice. But this was no ordinary juice. According to Doris, "It's 100 percent juice, Juicy Juice. It's never been opened." I accept the juice and she then asks me, "Would you like a juicy red apple?" I replied, "No thanks," and she then asks, "How about some delicious grapes? Their black, seedless grapes." I reiterate that the 100 percent Juicy Juice is quite sufficient. Moments later, the Grandfather clock strikes noon. Doris comments, "Old Grandpa. He's over 100 years old and always on time." I smile politely and continue sipping on my berry one hundred percent juice, Juicy Juice.

Doris then told me that she used to love doing the yard work herself, but no longer can because she recently fell and broke her hip. She also told me how she has no family around our town and was very grateful to my father and I for helping her out. To express her gratitude, she gave my father a really nice yellow rake that was likely too heavy for her. But that's not all! She also turned to me and told me she wanted me to have "This antibacterial hand soap. It's Bath & Body." She handed me a bottle of that fancy stuff with those microbeads in it, Kitchen Lemon scented. Score!

As we were leaving, Doris gave each of us a hug and told us that hugs are important. We should hug people every day. I nodded my head in agreement as my Dad says, "Uh huh. Sure." (He's not exactly the hugging type.) Doris told me to teach him. I assured her I would and we wished her a Merry Christmas. She then said, "There are two angels leaving me." We smiled and got into the car.



I think I'm going to miss her.




Quote of the Day:
Pete: I cannot remember a time... BEFORE you started telling that story.
Rosalee: I was asked to provide a detailed explanation of the evening.
Pete: And you did, Rosie, you really did. I really felt like I was there... sort of against my will.

-Win a Date With Tad Hamilton