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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Love stories / Romance
- Subject: Love / Romance / Dating
- Published: 09/21/2020
She probably shouldn’t have opened the door. After all, it was just her - a seventeen year old girl- and the four year old boy she was babysitting- no one else was home.
“Yes?”
The tall red headed boy looked to be about her age, maybe a year older. He held a clipboard in his hands. His face, when he saw her, colored a little bit. That made her smile. She didn’t mind when cute boys found her pretty, as long as, like this one, they kept their comments to themselves and the admiration limited to their eyes. It took him a few seconds to regain his composure.
“Hi. I’m Shane. I am supposed to finish up the landscaping in the backyard.”
She nodded. She didn’t live there. Mr. and Mrs. Wertz didn’t tell her that a guy was coming to redo their backyard. They had the money though. She knew that. They paid her way too much to watch little Lenny. When she tried to protest and give some of the money back…Mrs. Wertz would have none of it.
“You watch our Lenny six days a week. He loves you. We trust you with him. And what could be more valuable than someone watching your child that cares?”
She had to agree. She did love little Lenny. She had been watching him since he was born. If she had a child (someday, but not soon) she secretly hoped he would be just like little Lenny. So, she led the tall red headed boy to the back yard. Lenny ran up - and to her surprise, the tall red headed boy swooped him right up into the air. He threw little Lenny a good four feet up in the air. Lenny fell back into the tall boys arm like a bundle of giggles.
“Who are you?”
“I am the guy who is going to help make your backyard prettier.”
“Can I help?”
“Of course you can. I couldn’t do the job without a helper. You are going to need some gloves, a bucket and a shovel too.”
The tall red headed boy looked over at her. She nodded. She would take little Lenny and collect all his “work” items. It made her heart smile to see the gentle ease with which the tall red headed kid had included little Lenny. She would be sure and tell Mrs. Wertz when she got home. When she got back with a little Lenny ready to jump right in and help- she saw the tall red headed kid staring at his clipboard and at a map…and then the backyard.
“Is something wrong?”
“Well…I was supposed to just finish up some things. Plant two bushes, spread some mulch and lay down 20 stepping stones.“
“And…?”
He looked up at her, pointed to the map as he handed her the clipboard.
It was a marvelous drawing. It didn’t look like the backyard she was standing in though.
“I can just take the truck and get the things I need, but it is going to take me all day to get this done like the drawing. It is like someone never even started.“
He wasn’t mad. He wasn’t upset. He just wanted to get to work.
“Can we go with you?”
The tall red headed kid smiled. A smile of complete and utter joyful surprise.
“Sure. If you want to. We can get the little guy some gloves and safety glasses. He is going to have to do a lot more work than I thought.“
“I work hard! I can do it.” Piped up little Lenny.
The red headed kid tousled little Lenny’s hair.
“I know you can.”
“Can I help?” She asked.
“Yes. We will have to get you some gloves and glasses too. Safety first you know.”
They all laughed. A few moments later they piled into his truck. It took almost an hour to get everything they needed from the big Home and Garden Center. She and the tall redheaded kid worked like they had been a construction team since day one. Little Lenny helped put all the potted plants in neat rows in the back seat.
A quick lunch of toasted tomato sandwiches, some soup, and enough Lemonade to fill an aquarium…and they were back to work. Little Lenny was a help. She was a great help. The tall red headed kid worked like a demon. Finally, at just about four thirty in the afternoon…they all stood sweaty, dirty, and proud. Holding each other hands after a smattering of “high fives”, they just stood and enjoyed the fruits of their labor.
The backyard, she had to admit, was transformed. It was a garden. It was a haven. It was beautiful. It matched the drawing perfectly. She understood now, why Mrs. Mertz wanted it done. She knew that from now on, her and little Lenny would spend more time in the backyard. The tall red head had put only two things in the backyard that weren’t on the drawings: a swing slide set that looked like it was always there, and a small two person bench where a couple could sit and have a conversation- while still being able to watch the swing set.
It was on that bench where she sat with the tall red headed boy that she kept an eye on little Lenny. Without knowing it, she had leaned into the tall red headed boys shoulder, as natural to her as breathing. When his arm snuggled her in a bit closer…it seemed like that was alright too.
A horn beeped. She jumped up startled.
“Oh, it is Mrs. Wertz. The time got away from me. You watch little Lenny…okay?”
“Sure.”
A moment late Mrs. Wertz stared at her backyard. It was beautiful. Like it won first place in a Better Homes and Gardens Competition. A tall red headed kid was pushing little Lenny in ever increasing arcs on a swing set that looked like it had been there forever. Each push got a bigger squeal from little Lenny and a big smile from the tall red headed kid.
“I think you should have asked before you had your boyfriend come over. How come you never introduced him to us? And who did this to our yard?”
She stuttered a bit when she answered.
“He isn’t my boyfriend. Well…I guess he is now. But I only met him this morning. He is from the Landscaping Company you hired to do the backyard.“
This time it was Mrs. Wertz who stuttered.
“Wa…wa…what Landscaping Company. We never hired anyone to do our backyard.”
The tall red headed kid came over, one hand holding a clipboard, the other holding little Lenny’s hand. Mrs. Wertz couldn’t help but smile. In her mind, they looked like big brother and little brother coming to talk to Mommy. It softened her heart to see.
Little Lenny traded hands from the tall red headed boy to his Mom’s much more familiar hand. He tugged at her and pointed at the backyard:
“Mommy! Look what I did.”
When the three older people all smiled. Little Lenny grudgingly admitted: “Well, Sylvia and Shane helped too. A little.”
Little Lenny was puzzled by the peels of laughter. Mrs. Wertz at least had a name to go with the face of the tall red headed boy.
“Well, Shane…why did you do this to my yard? I mean it looks beautiful…fantastic even. But I didn’t order any landscaping.“
The tall red headed boy put a serious look on his face, pulled up a few papers on his clipboard. Then he handed the clipboard to Mrs. Wertz.
“Ma’am (pointing to the order form) here is the contract.”
She read over it quickly…then smiled.
“Shane, this says : 2012 Clover Lane.”
Shane nodded.
Mrs. Wertz got a whimsical look on her face.
“Well, our address is : 2012 Shamrock Lane. You have the wrong address.”
Sylvia slid next to the now embarrassed tall red headed boy.
“No. I think he got the right address.”
It was their first kiss.
Mr. and Mrs. Wertz kept the garden and paid the fee too.
Sylvia kept the Tall red headed boy.
Little Lenny kept his work gloves.
For once, in all of their lives, they were glad someone got the wrong address.
Wrong Address.(Kevin Hughes)
She probably shouldn’t have opened the door. After all, it was just her - a seventeen year old girl- and the four year old boy she was babysitting- no one else was home.
“Yes?”
The tall red headed boy looked to be about her age, maybe a year older. He held a clipboard in his hands. His face, when he saw her, colored a little bit. That made her smile. She didn’t mind when cute boys found her pretty, as long as, like this one, they kept their comments to themselves and the admiration limited to their eyes. It took him a few seconds to regain his composure.
“Hi. I’m Shane. I am supposed to finish up the landscaping in the backyard.”
She nodded. She didn’t live there. Mr. and Mrs. Wertz didn’t tell her that a guy was coming to redo their backyard. They had the money though. She knew that. They paid her way too much to watch little Lenny. When she tried to protest and give some of the money back…Mrs. Wertz would have none of it.
“You watch our Lenny six days a week. He loves you. We trust you with him. And what could be more valuable than someone watching your child that cares?”
She had to agree. She did love little Lenny. She had been watching him since he was born. If she had a child (someday, but not soon) she secretly hoped he would be just like little Lenny. So, she led the tall red headed boy to the back yard. Lenny ran up - and to her surprise, the tall red headed boy swooped him right up into the air. He threw little Lenny a good four feet up in the air. Lenny fell back into the tall boys arm like a bundle of giggles.
“Who are you?”
“I am the guy who is going to help make your backyard prettier.”
“Can I help?”
“Of course you can. I couldn’t do the job without a helper. You are going to need some gloves, a bucket and a shovel too.”
The tall red headed boy looked over at her. She nodded. She would take little Lenny and collect all his “work” items. It made her heart smile to see the gentle ease with which the tall red headed kid had included little Lenny. She would be sure and tell Mrs. Wertz when she got home. When she got back with a little Lenny ready to jump right in and help- she saw the tall red headed kid staring at his clipboard and at a map…and then the backyard.
“Is something wrong?”
“Well…I was supposed to just finish up some things. Plant two bushes, spread some mulch and lay down 20 stepping stones.“
“And…?”
He looked up at her, pointed to the map as he handed her the clipboard.
It was a marvelous drawing. It didn’t look like the backyard she was standing in though.
“I can just take the truck and get the things I need, but it is going to take me all day to get this done like the drawing. It is like someone never even started.“
He wasn’t mad. He wasn’t upset. He just wanted to get to work.
“Can we go with you?”
The tall red headed kid smiled. A smile of complete and utter joyful surprise.
“Sure. If you want to. We can get the little guy some gloves and safety glasses. He is going to have to do a lot more work than I thought.“
“I work hard! I can do it.” Piped up little Lenny.
The red headed kid tousled little Lenny’s hair.
“I know you can.”
“Can I help?” She asked.
“Yes. We will have to get you some gloves and glasses too. Safety first you know.”
They all laughed. A few moments later they piled into his truck. It took almost an hour to get everything they needed from the big Home and Garden Center. She and the tall redheaded kid worked like they had been a construction team since day one. Little Lenny helped put all the potted plants in neat rows in the back seat.
A quick lunch of toasted tomato sandwiches, some soup, and enough Lemonade to fill an aquarium…and they were back to work. Little Lenny was a help. She was a great help. The tall red headed kid worked like a demon. Finally, at just about four thirty in the afternoon…they all stood sweaty, dirty, and proud. Holding each other hands after a smattering of “high fives”, they just stood and enjoyed the fruits of their labor.
The backyard, she had to admit, was transformed. It was a garden. It was a haven. It was beautiful. It matched the drawing perfectly. She understood now, why Mrs. Mertz wanted it done. She knew that from now on, her and little Lenny would spend more time in the backyard. The tall red head had put only two things in the backyard that weren’t on the drawings: a swing slide set that looked like it was always there, and a small two person bench where a couple could sit and have a conversation- while still being able to watch the swing set.
It was on that bench where she sat with the tall red headed boy that she kept an eye on little Lenny. Without knowing it, she had leaned into the tall red headed boys shoulder, as natural to her as breathing. When his arm snuggled her in a bit closer…it seemed like that was alright too.
A horn beeped. She jumped up startled.
“Oh, it is Mrs. Wertz. The time got away from me. You watch little Lenny…okay?”
“Sure.”
A moment late Mrs. Wertz stared at her backyard. It was beautiful. Like it won first place in a Better Homes and Gardens Competition. A tall red headed kid was pushing little Lenny in ever increasing arcs on a swing set that looked like it had been there forever. Each push got a bigger squeal from little Lenny and a big smile from the tall red headed kid.
“I think you should have asked before you had your boyfriend come over. How come you never introduced him to us? And who did this to our yard?”
She stuttered a bit when she answered.
“He isn’t my boyfriend. Well…I guess he is now. But I only met him this morning. He is from the Landscaping Company you hired to do the backyard.“
This time it was Mrs. Wertz who stuttered.
“Wa…wa…what Landscaping Company. We never hired anyone to do our backyard.”
The tall red headed kid came over, one hand holding a clipboard, the other holding little Lenny’s hand. Mrs. Wertz couldn’t help but smile. In her mind, they looked like big brother and little brother coming to talk to Mommy. It softened her heart to see.
Little Lenny traded hands from the tall red headed boy to his Mom’s much more familiar hand. He tugged at her and pointed at the backyard:
“Mommy! Look what I did.”
When the three older people all smiled. Little Lenny grudgingly admitted: “Well, Sylvia and Shane helped too. A little.”
Little Lenny was puzzled by the peels of laughter. Mrs. Wertz at least had a name to go with the face of the tall red headed boy.
“Well, Shane…why did you do this to my yard? I mean it looks beautiful…fantastic even. But I didn’t order any landscaping.“
The tall red headed boy put a serious look on his face, pulled up a few papers on his clipboard. Then he handed the clipboard to Mrs. Wertz.
“Ma’am (pointing to the order form) here is the contract.”
She read over it quickly…then smiled.
“Shane, this says : 2012 Clover Lane.”
Shane nodded.
Mrs. Wertz got a whimsical look on her face.
“Well, our address is : 2012 Shamrock Lane. You have the wrong address.”
Sylvia slid next to the now embarrassed tall red headed boy.
“No. I think he got the right address.”
It was their first kiss.
Mr. and Mrs. Wertz kept the garden and paid the fee too.
Sylvia kept the Tall red headed boy.
Little Lenny kept his work gloves.
For once, in all of their lives, they were glad someone got the wrong address.
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Kristin Dockar
10/25/2020What a lovely story. I really enjoyed reading it. It was so believable.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Dr. Frederick Smiley
09/25/2020Hello again Mr. Hughes (Kevini)
First, we (Haishao and I) enjoyed "Wrong Address" for several reasons. The story was fun to read, and I am happy to see the Post Office away from the headlines. However, I only wish more people had second chances like the one Sylvia and
Shane experienced. Enough from me. for I asked my ESL reading pprtner to give you her reactions, so following comes Haishao's comments:
("I do like this story. Every character has a positive and optimistic attitude and treats others kindly.
Especially in the current situation where the distance between people is increasing due to the pandemic, this kindness and trust are even more valuable.")
We both thank you.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
JD
09/21/2020That was a beautiful story, Kevin. And I also loved the true story about how you and your wife met and became engaged on the same night... forty years ago! Now that's the most beautiful love story of all. I don't remember reading that one, though, so I agree with Kanishka that one of these days you need to write the true love story about your own romance. Although... I know that all of your wonderful love stories are based on the love in your life and your relationship with your wife and family. You have so much love in your heart and your life that it just bubbles over into your writing like a flowing fountain that nourishes and replenishes the hearts of all those who drink from it. Thank you, Kevin! :-)
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
JD
10/25/2020It's great to be able to have feel good stories, like those you write, to share with readers, kevin! Thank you for providing such great reading material! :-)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
10/25/2020Thanks Jd! Love is all around us, to quote an old song. You have given me so many Awards now, that I am running out of shy awkward replies. LOL
Thanks for the constant support. Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Gail Moore
09/21/2020Fantastic story Kevin. Well at least they got the perfect backyard and of course the perfect love story.
Beautiful :-)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Gail Moore
09/21/2020Kevin, I love the garden also and spend more time there than inside the house.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
09/21/2020Thanks Gail,
I wanted it to be a pretty story that left good feelings. I like the garden! LOL
Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kanishka Roy
09/21/2020Some people come in our lives accidentally and become permanent....and they make they best stories!
This was pure and perfect :D
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
09/21/2020Kanishka,
I don't have to pen it...I lived it...and still am. I do think I wrote about it a long time ago...now, well, I just savor it. Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
09/21/2020Kanishka,
I agree wholeheartedly. My Kathy and I met by complete accident. I complimented a neighbor on her singing...she invited me to party that night. There...I met my Kathy. I proposed to Kathy that night, went home and called my Mom and told her I was getting married. That was forty one years ago. Next week, Kathy and I will have been married for forty years. Yep...accidentally and then...permanent! Smiles, Kevin
COMMENTS (5)