A lawnsit

“One of us is reading”

    I imagine this will be the last day we experience a cool breeze in a good while. Normally, I’d be on the roof during an evening like this, but Kay doesn’t feel comfortable with heights, so we’re here on the carport.

    Kay’s joining me, ‘cause she thinks that since the play is over, we should spend more time together. I don’t know if you’re aware, but stage productions take a whole of time out of your life. Don’t get me wrong, “Inherit the Wind” was a good experience, but it was a time grabber.

I told Kay that once the play ended, I wouldn’t get involved in another one for a good while. So, what did I do? I turned around and auditioned for “Greater Tuna.” Kay acted like she didn’t mind, but she minded. I can pick up on stuff like that.

    The good news is, I didn’t get a part. I thought I’d make a great Aunt Pearl, but, fortunately, I wasn’t the one doing the casting. When I told Kay that I wouldn’t be in Tuna, she acted disappointed for me, but I could tell she was pleased as punch. Isn’t it weird how punch is always pleased?

    So, now Kay and I can spend more evenings together this summer. And, we’re getting a jump on it this evening. When I told her that I was headed for the roof, she suggested we sit in the yard instead, and she would read her book, and I’d bring the laptop and write my article.

    So, I’m out here in the back with Kay. I love her to pieces, but she can be a bit distracting when I’m trying to write. First thing she did was stick four of her wind-catching flowers in the yard, so we could watch ‘em spin. Those things are fantastic. The flower part is about the size of a dinner plate, and each of them is bright-colored, and they spin to beat the band.

And, get this. Kay bought ‘em for a dollar apiece. I don’t see how even the Chinese could put together a beautiful thing like that; ship it 9000 miles across the sea to California; put it on train headed for Houston and truck it Montgomery County, and then sell it for a dollar? And, make a profit. Something is just not right. 

    Anyway, the flowers are cool as can be, but they are so distracting. Speaking of which, Kay had to tell me about the books she’s reading. It’s called “Shadow Spell.” It’s a Nora Roberts trilogy set in Ireland  and begins in the eleventh century. But it’s got time travel in it. I’m sure it’s interesting as can be, but I’m trying to write here.

    Besides, my dad was the only person who could hold my interest with a story from a book. When I was a kid, we used to sit on the floor beside Daddy’s chair and listen to him tell a story from one of his Zane Grey books. There’d be a big roasting pan filled with popcorn in the midst of us.

    Grape Kool-Aid, popcorn and story time were The Big Three at the Hayter house. Not sure anything like that would catch on today. Like I said, Dad is the only one who told really good stories.

    With the play ended, I finally managed to finish a book called “The Sand-Reckoner.” It’s a novel centered around mathematician, Archimedes. He’s the one who came up with his very own Principle. Has to do with water displacement. I was hoping you could explain it to me.

    The book by Gillian Bradshaw is an easy read, or else I wouldn’t have read it. Did I mention it was about a mathematician? “The Sand-Reckoner” is first book e-book I’ve read. I prefer books on paper, but I’ve got to get use out of the Kindle that Kay bought me.

Get this, the Kindle I’ve got will automatically read a book to you. A couple of nights ago, I went to bed listening to some digitized sounding lady read the end of the book. She sounded like the female version of the robot on "Lost in Space.” The GPS lady displays more emotion.

But, I listen anyway, ‘cause when I read in bed, my wrists get tired. Life can be a real pain sometimes. – Excuse me a second.

What, Sweetie? Yes, darling, it’s a perfect evening. I’m not ready to buy a tent and campout, but it’s nice out here. And yes, we’re blessed. We live in this beautiful place and we’ve got the spinning flowers. Right.

 Look, I’m going to let you go so I can talk to Kay for a while. May even let her tell me more about her book. May need to go pop some corn first. Just a thought. -- Next time. 

End
Mark@rooftopwriter.com