CONTINUING... surprises & changes (Part 139u)

CONTINUING... surprises & changes (Part 139u)

Actually, I was just about to laugh and had to really restrain myself from doing so. I was able to get some words out but it was awkward. I asked why she was so distraught. She just stood there shaking her head. I apologized again but as I did I couldn’t restrain myself from laughing a bit. That brought forth a mumbled response. I heard it as “Why are you laughing at me?” I can remember the scene as if it were yesterday with her standing by the counter and I by the the table with the wash basket on it. I tried to couch my words so as to make light of the situation and not further embarrass her. The exact words are long gone but they were along the lines of asking why she’d hidden her things (panties and bras) in the kitchen drawer as I’d already seen them. I went on and told her that whatever embarrassment she’d experienced when she discovered that I’d seen the items should be gone. She eventually mumbled that she didn’t know why which led me to suggest she take the items out so that they could be laid out to dry along with the rest of the wash. The look she gave me was one of disbelief and I immediately was sorry that I’d taken that position. In thinking about it now I realize that what I’d done was the same thing I’d done with my daughters when I caught them doing something silly... I was treating her like one of them.

I’m sure the reason she did take them out was that she looked at me as her boss and was responding to an order. However, she had them crumpled up in her hand and proceeded to walk out to the living room walking as far from the doorway to the kitchen as she could. In a few seconds she was back to get the laundry basket. I offered to help but she insisted that she do it alone. As was the case with so many Summer storms, the sky quickly cleared and the sun made an attempt to come back out. It was still raining lightly when we made our way to my car. Backing out of the driveway I could see the faint makings of a rainbow. I hoped that it was a sign that things would still be OK between us.

Upon our return J J stopped by my desk to tell me the school board had agreed to hold another open meeting to answer questions. However, it was coming with strings attached. He told me that they would only take ten questions and that they had to be posed by Pat as she was the head of the PTA. As soon as he told me I pretty much knew this was the Board’s way of getting back at Pat for organizing the rally. When I mentioned it to J J, he agreed. This was the first conversation I’d had with him since Joanie had moved down stairs. I fully expected a ‘zinger’ or two about that but the talk was straight and to the point. As he walked away and passed by her desk I heard him say he was looking forward to her return. Almost immediately she turned and looked at me. It seemed pretty obvious that she wasn’t looking forward to that.

I decided not to linger at work and headed home shortly after 5pm. I’d not seen any obvious remnants from the storm in driving from Joanie’s house to the bank. But, on my way home, there were many small branches down along the side of the road and on the lawns that lined it. Turning down the road to my house I saw a large limb partially blocking it. I could see my house from there and wondered if there had been any damage to it. As I turned in the driveway it came to me that if there was that Elle would’ve called again. I breathed a bit easier with that thought.

The two older girls came running down the path to greet me with one of them announcing, proudly, that she hadn’t cried when the “thunder boomers” came. I laughed and rationalized that was the result of the storm passing in daylight. The last thunder storm that had hit at night found all three of the kids in bed with Elle and I accompanied with much wailing. Walking up to the door I saw a pile of clothes on the picnic table that we kept on the patio. Elle was right inside the screen door so I asked what was up with that. She made a face and said they belonged next door. She went on to tell me that with Summer almost over she’d taken the kids over to visit with my mother and to have lunch there. Phyllis (the haughty neighbor) had asked if she could use our wash line (again) and Elle told her it was OK. When Elle and the kids got home it was just after the storm had started. With the high winds she found their wash scattering all over the lawn and out into the farm. The thunder and lightning was too much so she headed for the house and just left the clothes where they lay. When the rain stopped she and the girls set out to retrieve it and just piled it on the table. She added that there was no way that she was going to go out and rehang it. Of course you know where my mind went with that news.

The weather front that had pushed through with the storm had cooled the air down quite a bit and made the evening quite comfortable. With me home early, Elle came up with the idea of having me cook hamburgers on the hibachi and then eating on the screened in porch. I immediately changed clothes and started the fire. In passing, I asked where the neighbors were since it was now getting close to 6pm. Elle just shrugged and added that she hoped they wouldn’t arrive while we were eating. Waiting for the charcoal to get heated up is sort of a mindless activity so I sat there trying to come up with an idea of how to peruse the pile of wet clothes on the picnic table.

Nothing came to mind before we ate but just as we were finishing up there appeared Mo, the neighbor’s oldest daughter. Elle explained what had happened and added that she thought they had gathered everything from out in the farm. The girl thanked Elle and the kids, who had made sure they let her know they had helped. Then she disappeared. Moments later Phyllis appeared and, for the first time, came across in a fairly civil manner. Not only that but she had a chocolate cake in her hands. In my case, I’ve never seen anything made with chocolate that I wouldn’t eat... and in this case I was willing to eat if even if it had come from Phyllis. We thanked her and as she was leaving she reverted to her normal ‘I’m the only one who matters’ self and announced that she was going to rehang the clothes on our wash line. Elle never said a word and I just sat there eyeing the cake.

Even though I never got to visit the pile of wash, having it rehung was better. I knew I could come up with a good reason to be out in the back yard later where I’d get a good view of the panties. As I’ve previously written, it never mattered to me even if I’d seen them before.

To be continued...