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My wife Johnnie and I must be getting old and lazy. Anyway my wife is getting old, I'm just lazy. I know my wife is getting old. She used to run a mile and climb a tree. Now she has trouble walking to the end of the block or going up a flight of stairs. Our granddaughter used to say Granny was 99. It's tough to be at the age when you go all out, you end up all in.

I don't think she's that old, but she is somewhere in her sixty's. But she is the best looking sixty some odd year old in town. She enjoys working in her yard and her flower beds. Because she can't do everything she wants to in her yard and her flower beds any more, she will call the neighbor's boys who live across the street to come help her.

These three boys, Uriel, Sergio Jr., and Ulisses are well minded boys and are always willing to help. Uriel, the oldest is fun loving and really would rather be off playing basketball, football, or baseball. But that's a whole nother story for a different time. When Johnnie asks for help, he is always there.

Sergio Jr., the middle boy, is the quiet one. He is a real scholar and smart as a whip. When he helps he is all business and always the last to quit. Ulisses, the youngest, is shy and doesn't say much. He works just as hard as the other two, but he's too small to do a lot of the work. He will stay and work for a little while then he will wander off to play with our dog or just go back across the street to his own yard. We love them just as if they were our own grandsons.

I said I'm lazy, really I'm not. I stay busy with more important things than working in the yard. Things like going hunting and fishing to put meat on the table or talking on the phone. I pay the bills and write short stories for the grandkids. All this takes time and I just don't have time to work in the yard. Besides Johnnie says I don't do it to suit her and she would rather do it herself.

Once in a while when I have to work on my pickup, Serigo Sr. will see me with the hood up and here he comes. Most of the time he tells me to stand back and he does whatever needs to be done. He is a good mechanic, a good carpenter, and a good cement worker. In fact he is good at anything he does.

Johnnie and Delia, the boys' mother, have become good friends. Delia is fun loving and likes to tease. She is also a very good cook. She taught Johnnie how to make tamales, and boy are they good. The only thing is Johnnie will only let me have four at a time. She says they will last longer that way. Delia is also one of the best housekeepers I have ever seen. Her house is always spotless. She works out, has three boys to clean up after, and a family of five to cook for. I don't know how she does it.

The Garcia family is a good God fearing family. They go to church every Sunday and most Wednesday nights. The whole family is very active in the church. They participate in the Christmas and Easter programs. Serigo Sr. does a lot of work on the church building and Delia cooks for church activities. The boys do their share of work around the church also.

My wife and I are very fortunate to have such neighbors. I think we have the world's best neighbors.

Reach Loren by email to comment: caddo@digitex.net

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