I could tell it was gone as I drove up in the dark tonight, shivering in the thirty-degree weather. My headlights shone across the large pile of leaves at his curbside.
I have been hoping that the cutting-knife icy wind that has been blowing all day today dies down before my eight-mile run with my training group tomorrow morning. But it hadn't disturbed the roundness of the leaf pile at his curb.
Leaf collection must be this week, I thought when I saw it. I was glad my headlights hadn't swept over my disordered leaf-littered yard to remind me of my slackard ways. Actually, I think fallen leaves are a good nutrient for the soil, which gives me an excuse not to rake.
I'm a terrible suburbanite. Not being a slave to my yard nor my kids and adhering to no woman's directives, I only still live here in the 'burbs because my back yard lot line abuts the 40-mile W&OD running trail at MP 7. The W&OD Trail is the premiere blacktop running path in the country. Let's see you top that!
Earlier this month, my neighbor raked his leaves into five large ordered piles in his back yard, spelling O B A M A. He restored the piles' integrity every morning. He was showboating for the W&OD Trail runners behind our houses. Runners are all democrats and believe in diversity, right?
He's from South America and is a fabulous guy. Previously I thought he spoke better English than he did, and he thought I spoke better Spanish then I did, and now we pantomime a lot. So much for worldwide high school language classes. But he was pleased to confirm for me that his piles said, "Obama."
I hate change. I liked his piles. When I drove into my driveway tonight , I could see that his orderly piles had been dragged to his curb and lumped into a single large refuse mound. Did The One become "that one?"
I should rake my lawn before all my leaves blow over to his place. Or maybe I won't.
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8 comments:
Don't read too much into the leaves - it's time to move on. Once you get rid of *&%&%&^ Bush he's got a big job on his hands... If Bush doesn't quickly destroy the world between now and January.
I have SERIOUS blacktop envy.
What dedication!
I like the nutrient replacement theory for the soil :-)
All good things come to an end, including leaves. But, the leaves would have made a great photo!
We don't rake our leaves either. But since we live in the desert, we just consider it a kind of mulch to keep the moisture in the soil. I bet there are all kinds of excuses, whoops, reasons for not raking leaves...
One good thing about living in a warm climate is very few leaves to rake. However, I am envious of your close proximity to such a wonderful trail.
Congrats also on your RRCA certification!
I think you should start sending messages back and forth to each other - in leaves. Could become a popular thing on the trail.
I remember reading of one female runner whose photo was anonymously used for some product ad. When she was later told about it by a friend, she went to the company and received some compensation since they'd not asked her permission and she was apparently a key component of the ad. Now she probably goes around running in scenic places, scouring ads and making money ;-)
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