All Figured Out
Our friend, Jeff, is a very talented contractor. He can maneuver a loader the way nobody else can. He uses a chain saw like Edward Scissiorhands swinging his finger nails. And he is extremely meticulous when doing masonry work. He checks the level and makes tiny adjustments before he sets each stone. He does beautiful work. He finally agrees to come down to build a new retaining wall for us. We are overjoyed.
Jeff has two little girls -- Stacey and Sara, 10 and 11. They are the love of their daddy. The girls are really into majorette cheerleading. They have been doing very well and have won quite a few prizes. Despite their young age, Stacey has been working the tractor at their home farm, and Sara knows how to deliver baby goats. I know a lot about them because Jeff simply cannot stop talking about them when we are together. Jeff always wants me to meet his lovely daughters. This day, he brings them with him to do the job at my house.
It is interesting for me to watch the man build the wall, but not so for the kids. Nothing at my house seems entertaining enough for them. One thing leads to another, we decide that I am going to the National Zoo in DC with the girls.
I am surprised that they have never visited the zoo even though they live in metro DC. Neither have they been to the Mall where the great museums are. They have never ridden the Metro trains. I am shocked. So, I explain to the kids how the Metro works and let them figure out the station we need to go to, and the line we should take. They buy their own tickets at the machine. It is a fun experiment.
Once we arrive at the zoo, we study the map at the visiors' center together. Then, I ask the girls to guide me through the park. They decide what we are going to see and design a route. Me, the chaperone, only has the easy job of following them around.
As always, there is so much to do, but so little time. I have to step in and get the kids to head back. "It is very late. The traffic from my house to yours is really bad. Your dad hates getting home late. He is going to throw a fit!" "Don't worry," Stacey assures me, "It is going to be fine." Sara chimes in, "Yeah! You know, as long as we are happy, everything is okay with our dad." Unlike me, the kids are not worried at all.
It has been a fun, but long day for these kids. It does not take long for them to fall asleep and flop over each other in their seats. I cannot believe having a retaining wall built means a day trip to the zoo for me. I am glad we did it.
From three houses away, the kids can already see their father working on his knees at the corner of the garden. He has already got three rows done on the stone block retaining wall. "Dad! Dad! We're back!!!" Happily, the girls run towards their father and hug him from behind. It has been a hot, sunny day. Jeff is glowing red after hours of being in the sun. Dripping sweat all over his face, Jeff looks up with a big smile, "Did you have fun, Sweethearts?" "Yeah, we did. We had a blast! We rode the Metro train, we saw a lot of animals and we even had blue ice cones at the zoo!" The excited kids cannot wait to tell their father everything about their adventure.
"Sorry, Jeff, for coming back so late. I had a hard time getting them to leave," I apologize. With a giant smile on his face, Jeff says, "No, no, no. Look at how happy they are! You must have done a great job. I never have time to take them for things like this. Thank you." Jeff sits down to take a sip of water. "You know, I really don't mind at all. As long as they are happy, everything is okay with me." I cannot help laughing.
"What? What did I say?" Jeff wonders. "Someone already told me that about you. They already have you all figured out!" Jeff blushes and shakes his head. Watching his beautiful girls with eyes filled with pride, the happy father murmurs, "Yeah, these kids have me all figured out . . . "
Jeff has two little girls -- Stacey and Sara, 10 and 11. They are the love of their daddy. The girls are really into majorette cheerleading. They have been doing very well and have won quite a few prizes. Despite their young age, Stacey has been working the tractor at their home farm, and Sara knows how to deliver baby goats. I know a lot about them because Jeff simply cannot stop talking about them when we are together. Jeff always wants me to meet his lovely daughters. This day, he brings them with him to do the job at my house.
It is interesting for me to watch the man build the wall, but not so for the kids. Nothing at my house seems entertaining enough for them. One thing leads to another, we decide that I am going to the National Zoo in DC with the girls.
I am surprised that they have never visited the zoo even though they live in metro DC. Neither have they been to the Mall where the great museums are. They have never ridden the Metro trains. I am shocked. So, I explain to the kids how the Metro works and let them figure out the station we need to go to, and the line we should take. They buy their own tickets at the machine. It is a fun experiment.
Once we arrive at the zoo, we study the map at the visiors' center together. Then, I ask the girls to guide me through the park. They decide what we are going to see and design a route. Me, the chaperone, only has the easy job of following them around.
As always, there is so much to do, but so little time. I have to step in and get the kids to head back. "It is very late. The traffic from my house to yours is really bad. Your dad hates getting home late. He is going to throw a fit!" "Don't worry," Stacey assures me, "It is going to be fine." Sara chimes in, "Yeah! You know, as long as we are happy, everything is okay with our dad." Unlike me, the kids are not worried at all.
It has been a fun, but long day for these kids. It does not take long for them to fall asleep and flop over each other in their seats. I cannot believe having a retaining wall built means a day trip to the zoo for me. I am glad we did it.
From three houses away, the kids can already see their father working on his knees at the corner of the garden. He has already got three rows done on the stone block retaining wall. "Dad! Dad! We're back!!!" Happily, the girls run towards their father and hug him from behind. It has been a hot, sunny day. Jeff is glowing red after hours of being in the sun. Dripping sweat all over his face, Jeff looks up with a big smile, "Did you have fun, Sweethearts?" "Yeah, we did. We had a blast! We rode the Metro train, we saw a lot of animals and we even had blue ice cones at the zoo!" The excited kids cannot wait to tell their father everything about their adventure.
"Sorry, Jeff, for coming back so late. I had a hard time getting them to leave," I apologize. With a giant smile on his face, Jeff says, "No, no, no. Look at how happy they are! You must have done a great job. I never have time to take them for things like this. Thank you." Jeff sits down to take a sip of water. "You know, I really don't mind at all. As long as they are happy, everything is okay with me." I cannot help laughing.
"What? What did I say?" Jeff wonders. "Someone already told me that about you. They already have you all figured out!" Jeff blushes and shakes his head. Watching his beautiful girls with eyes filled with pride, the happy father murmurs, "Yeah, these kids have me all figured out . . . "
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