Ham Sammich

“Look at those two guys over there.” “What about 'em?” “Just look at them, standing in line with their 2x4s, OSB, and plumbing supplies.” “We're standing here with the same.” “I know.” “You know, that will be us in 20 years.” “It'll be you in 20, I've got 30.” “You got fat, real fat.” “And you got skinnier. How in the hell did you get skinnier?” “All the softness is gone, son, hard as iron.” “Even iron breaks.” “Eventually, but I'm more worried about rusting.” “Stay out of the rain then.”

They paid for their things and walked out just in time to hear thunder and feel the wind bring in the rain. “Great, you had to mention rain.” “We'll be inside.” “I know. In some shitty, literally, prison cell sized bathroom. It makes me claustrophobic. I can't take it.” “I get it now.” “What?” “Why you hate driving through Memphis.” “Shit is too crowded.” “Have you always been that way?” “Nope.” They loaded the van, he got in the driver's seat, lit a cigarette, and headed towards Memphis. “Want me to drive?” “Nah, you can drive home, it'll be worse then.” “Alright. I'm gonna take a nap. I didn't get any sleep last night. The baby woke up three or four times.” “You get him every time?” “Yeah” “You're a good man.” “Eventually.”

He opened his cooler and felt around for something that he could eat with one hand, an apple. It worked. It was cold from the ice and had a nice fresh taste to it, crisp. On his last bite he felt eyes on him from the right. “You eat real loud.” “It's an apple, not oatmeal.” “I was having a nice dream.” “Tell me about it” “It was just an ordinary day, well what most folks think of as ordinary. It was perfect.” “Details, sir, details. Use your vocabulary.” “I was mowing the yard, finally. It was hot but not brutal. The babies were playing on the front porch and she was sitting down, acting like she was reading a magazine, but she was really watching me. She was watching me like she did when we first met. It's been 10 years now. Since we met” That's nice, the watching.” “Yeah, it is.” “Carry on.” “I stopped the mower and walked up to the porch and sat down next to her, but not too close, I was sweaty and filthy. She asked me to come inside and cool off but I told her I wasn't fit to be inside.” “When are we ever besides right before we leave for the shop?” “She got up and went in the house, I thought she was upset, but she came back a few minutes later with a cold ham and cheese sandwich, “Sammich, it's called a sammich”, some plain chips, the ridged kind, and a beer, already opened. She didn't ask, she just brought it.” “I get it, I'm the same, I hate to ask for anything.”

“She smiled at me, handed me the plate, the beer, and a napkin. Then she sat close and told me I smelled like yard work. She told me I smelled like a man, then she whispered in my ear that she loved it.” “That's Heaven. It's got to be.” “Everybody was happy, satisfied to be right there, nobody wanted to be doing anything else.” “That is a spectacular dream. I'm sorry I woke you up.” “It's alright, it ended just like it should. What's your perfect day?” “You just crawled into my head and drug it out.” “I'm so damn tired.” “Me too, brother, me too.” “When is it going to end?” “The tired?” “Yeah.” “It ain't. At least not until it don't matter any more. Just keep mowing the yard, stay out of the rain, and hang on. We're here. I want to leave early; we can stay later tomorrow.” “Why?” “I'm going to grab some Ruffles on the way home and mow the yard.” “I think I will too.”