So everyone can see your "shortcomings!"That very thought caused me to look Down!! My heavens! In my haste to see what was going on in my garage..I'd thrown on the first thing that came to my hands. That happened to be the wet white shirt, I'd washed out the night before!I'd hung it over the shower..It was still very wet..Still very silken....and If there had been a wet tee shirt in our town on that day. I would have won, Hands Down. "Let IT All Hang OUT!" was a tag line from a very popular tv show. I was, doing it!...There was NOTHING left to any one's imagination! I was wet and COLD...and every bit of me was standing up to give me NOTICE of that fact!... That shirt was clinging to every ounce of my bust line and very transparent!..Since I didn't take time to put on a bra.....Well he had reason to blush! So did I....I beat a hasty retreat to the inside of my little house to find a blouse....Any blouse that was not plumb see through!If there was anything left to be imagined....His imagination was definitely running riot!I turned and ran to my bathroom to put on a bra....A tee shirt....and a heavy flannel shirt! It was definitely closing the barn door after the pony got away! My face was flaming red in my mirror! It seemed I'd searched most of my life for a man who would look me in the face...And I knew he would be GONE when I got back out there...what was a girl to say?"NO you can NOT pet the puppy with the Brown nose,was taken!"
He was a nice fella' and I knew he was there to help me! I'd ruined it! I was so worried about my old car! I'd ran right out there, half naked! I felt like, well I felt like such a BOOB! If he was still there when I was dressed like a lady, would it mean he was NOT the gentleman I thought him to be?
I stood rooted to my bathroom floor...messing with my long hair...dressed and buttoned nearly to my nose! I hoped he would be there when I got back. I also hoped he would be gone. I knew he had been embarrassed! THAT was a good sign! I was so embarrassed I didn't know if I could face him again! I stood there till I was sure he was done doing what ever it was he was doing to my car...
"Robin, I hope you don't mind...I washed the grease off my hands in your kitchen sink...I think I got most of the mess cleaned up! I checked the oil in your car. There wasn't much on the Dipstiiiiick!" He stammered..
I was facing him now across the tiny area that was my kitchen, living area! I'd left the door open in my wild run for the house.."He'd done the normal thing a nice man would do. He followed me in to make sure I was OK!"At least that is what I told myself!
"I added some oil while I was in there!" He was looking me steadily in my eyes.
I ran my fingers down the opening, just to check to see that all my buttons were done! My mind was NOT on the car and it seemed like every thing he said had a double meaning! I was doing my best not to giggle! I hated giggling teenagers. I figured he wouldn't like that either!
"You need to watch that, Robin! I don't think your dip stick had anything on it! I'd like to change that for you soon as I have a chance. I was glad to see you had some in the back."
I could see it was going to take us a while to get back to normal conversation!"Thank YOU, Jack! You don't know how I appreciate the tires and all your help with my car..The oil should
be fine. I just had it changed a few days ago..Lets hope it was just so clean you couldn't see it!"
I tried to smile. I really didn't feel like talking about "dipsticks, or lube!"
"All RIGHT Jack, I'm now completely, if not artfully dressed! I'm sorry! I heard you in my garage and I don't know what kind of people live here! I've been here a week, the only place I've been was to work and home! I am so very sorry! I feel so stupid, I embarrassed both of us. I want you to know how I appreciate your hard work, Your caring is very touching!" I stammered..".Now I've gone from dipsticks to TOUCHING!" Once I get my foot out of my mouth, I'd like to say thank you properly and at least offer you a cup of hot coffee!"
The smell of coffee brewing was wafting through my kitchen. What a DEAL! He'd
made coffee while I was hiding in the bathroom! I busied myself with two cups, Milk and Sugar.
I debated with my self a little over the offer of Milk, at this point in our conversation...I decided against it. I would just put it on the tray when I set up the table He was already seated in one of the three chairs. He was a nice man. I kept my fingers crossed I was right! It's very hard to serve coffee with one's fingers crossed!
"Thank you so very much Jack! you don't know how nice it is to have someone thinking
of me with no motive, only friendship in mind!" Each word seemed to fall like one more
shovel full of dirt on a coffin! "I mean, THANK YOU. Now why don't I just drink my coffee and shut UP!"
"You said you have been here a week?" His red face showed he HAD been thinking the same way my mind was flowing....Like a Sewer through Sodom..."Some of the guys said there was a new lady in town! New people are kind of a novelty here!" He sipped his coffee, poured some more milk with it and stirred while he waited for me to make some sort of comment....It was awfully hard to make a conversation when you were the only one talking! I did my best to pick up the conversational Ball!
"Robin, I'll go out and come back in again, if it will make you more comfortable!" He smiled a little. It was NOT the embarrassed kind of smile he'd been wearing. "I brought the tires cause I wanted an excuse to see you again."
"You certainly did THAT!" I nodded! It was just the sort of remark that made everything seem normal again! We both started laughing at our own reactions and embarrassment. The air was clear. The double meanings stopped hanging around like spider webs in an old shed! Suddenly we were two new friends having coffee on a sunny morning in April! The daffodils were nodding and the world was sitting right again.
"I actually thought you'd gone! I thought I heard your pick up start and go." I studied his face. I hadn't noticed how very tall he was.
"I loaded my tool box and threw the trash in the back! Honestly, Robin; I thought of going. I really did. I didn't know how I was going to get us back to where we'd started out. We had a good start on being friends. THEN phhhhhttt! it was gone! I think I'd like us to be friends. Fran told me you are a special sort of gal who has been through the "fires....." I don't know what that means. Fran is a little psychic some times! If she likes you, she likes the Hell out of you! If she don't like you, she has no time to waste ON you. She is really fond of you. I hope she is as fond of me!"
"I'll have to remember to Thank her later!" I reached across and poured a few teaspoons full of milk into his cup. "I think I would like to be friends with you, too!"
"Do you have time to go out for a ride,My Friend?" He unbuttoned the top three buttons of the flannel I wore. I'd managed to put it on like a suit of armor. "I think it will be pretty warm for that, but we can turn on the air in the truck!"
I removed the flannel and tied the sleeves around my waist! "What you got in Mind Friend?"
I just couldn't help it. I had to giggle! He was working so hard to look at my face!
"Would you like to hear a little about the history of the area? This place has lots of interesting history and legend that goes with it! There are some neat places here. I'd love to be the first to show them to you. Have you ever been to a Haunted Glen?"
"As a matter of fact, I NEVER have! Can we be back in time for me to get to work? Should I take my work clothes with us? I can always change at The Inn." Fran don't really mind if I am on the Minute. I owe her about five from yesterday! I probably should be there a little early today. If I am NOT, she will forgive! She is a neat lady, you are Right!"
"If you like to take pictures bring your camera, It's not far from here, but it is usually
better for ME to prepare for anything that MIGHT happen in the woods. Bring your
work clothes. There aren't many people in the Glen this time of year. The road in is kinda soggy. I know I can make it both ways cause I was in there yesterday." He picked up the Bag of stuff I handed him, I picked up my purse, we locked my house. He stowed my things behind the seat of his truck helped me up into it. I needed a ladder! He finally just picked me up and sat me in the seats, made a big deal of setting the seat belt, for me! I was impressed by his gentle ways, his strength, and the honest way he'd handled the rift my stupidity had caused in our fledgling relationship! He was quite a man, My new Friend!
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