HeeHawmoSapiens of the Mist

Yesterday suddenly Willow started barking. Then, I heard the door rattle or shake. I went to the door and opened. There stood the mother of Joe’s baby.

She said, “Joe needs your help with his truck. His batter is dead”.

I asked, “Does he have jumper cables?”

She said, “I doubt it.”

I put the dog in her crate and drove my truck across the street. Joe guided me in with the expertise of a Flight Deck specialist guiding in a jet plane. He got my hood fairly close to his hood.

His hood was already up. He was washing his truck. I said something to the effect, “Your battery is already dead with a new truck?”

He said yeah, his mom got mad at him and pulled out a bunch of plugs and wires and let the battery run all night.

Later my neighbor Kathleen told me why his mother was mad at him. He tore up the back yard making wheelies all over – now, after his work, there is no grass – just dusty tracks going in a circles, circles overlaying circles. From high in the sky it may look like aliens did a trick.

Joe was washing all the back yard dirt off his truck.

I noticed the yard was covered with little bits of trash: plastic bottles, candy wrappers, McDonald wrappers, Wendy’s Frosty cups wadded up, loose tools, and bits of paper, mail, and more.

We charged his batter with my battery for quiet a while and it still would not start. He said he had to take his baby to the doctor today.

As soon as he said his baby I instantly thought of the last time I saw their baby. He and his mate were up by street and he was holding the little baby. I was picking up little pieces of paper junk that the wind carried from their yard to our yard and thought I would be nice and walk up and look at the little baby girl (named after Joe’s dead dog).

Joe is a big person in weight and height. He is probably 6’6”. He had to bring the baby in his arms down to my level. I looked at the little baby and her face from her nose to below her mouth was covered with mucus. I don’t suppose it occurred to them clean her face, or use one of those little rubber suction things to suck all that goo away.

Then a white government vehicle drove up. A black lady got out and spoke to him and asked in a distant friendly way what was he doing. He explained about the battery and how his mother got mad at him and pulled out all the wires.

She had a wry smirk when she heard the story. I don’t think she was surprised.

Incidentally, I think the lady is a county official. Now, because of the draught condition there is a strict water ban going on. You can only water three days a week in the late and wee hours. It is based on your street address, whether it is odd or even. It was not the right time or day for Joe to water outside. He openly washed his truck while she was inside. Laws are not meant for him…. I guess he could claim he didn’t know about the water ban, he is not the kind to watch the news. My father used to say Ignorance is no excuse of the law – but I bet smooth talking Joe could use it and get away with it.

I see that white government vehicle parked at their house ever so often. She was carrying a heavy duty plastic kit of some kind. She asked by name where was the baby’s mama.

Joe said inside. She stood out in front of the house and hollered. The mate came out on the balcony. She called her by name again, and told her to “come on down honey.”

Then she went inside. I suspect the lady was there to give Joe’s mate a random drug test with no warning.

Well, I did all I could do and the truck still didn’t start. I took my jumper cables and left.

Later in the day I was working in the yard and my neighbor Jim asked me what was I doing over at Joe’s with our hoods up. I told him. He said he had a charger but Joe didn’t ask him. He said he normally asks him to borrow his tools. Jim went on to say that recently Joe borrowed something and failed to return it. I think he eventually got it back. But the next time Joe came over to borrow something Jim asked to hold his cell-phone as security. Which Joe did, and he more quickly returned whatever tool he borrowed. Jim might as well asked for his pants as security – I’m sure he felt just as naked… he always has that cell phone to his face.

Somebody carried Joe to work and one time I looked over and saw that his truck still had the hood up and one door opened. It seemed like old times when Bob was there.

Also, I have mentioned more than once that Joe and his family has never failed to surprised me. Yesterday was no exception. After I left yesterday my neighbor Kathleen called and asked who the little kid in orange was across the street. I looked out and hiding behind a row of hedges and edging his head around the hedges looking at Joe was a little boy dressed in orange pants and orange shirt. I think he may have had orange-red hair also. It is always something. Amazing!