the somewhat handsome stranger…
Yesterday evening, Tabasco & her husband Big T were watching my children as I went out for some last-minute school supplies.
As I came home & had just entered the 2nd story threshhold, a Somewhat Handsome Stranger appeared at the door!
“Hello,” I said politely.
“Hello,” said the stranger. “I am a clay ball, & I am looking for other clay balls who might be living around here!”
As you can imagine, my heart gave a happy little leap of joy to meet another clay ball so far from home! But then just as suddenly, it flopped down & swam away like a goldfish in a murky pond…
…Because, after looking very carefully (my vision is not the greatest, so sometimes it takes me a while to see things clearly!)…I noticed that the Somewhat Handsome Stranger looked actually more like an…avocado pit!
Yes, he definitely was an avocado pit, and not a clay ball at all!
My dear readers, I come from a place where we all know one another since birth…& that, over the years, has made us very open & honest. We have nothing to hide, &, in fact, we dislike subterfuge of any kind.
So, although I was raised to have Somewhat Handsome Manners, I sternly said, “Just hold it right there, Bud,” & jumped into my space kayak & flew like the wind…
…slamming the door shut behind me!
Luckily, the children were all off playing, but my dear friends Tabasco, Big T, & Lon the Elephant were all nearby, & so I relayed what had just happened…
My dear neighbors said I had done the right thing. Big T & Lon went outside to check, but the Somewhat Handsome Stranger had already gone.
I felt a little bad for my rudeness, but Tabasco assured me to always follow my gut, which is what we learn at home, too (we just call it something a bit different, loosely translated as ”follow your inner river“).
Big T said that most avocado pits that he has known have been honest fellows, but this one just happened to be an exception…
Well, I say, so much for the Somewhat Handsome Stranger!
love,
Clay Ball
p.s. …and in other news, Big T found a job here at a building supply store, & is moving up from Louisiana to be with Tabasco & Little T! Hurray! He wants to open his own second-hand tool & garden supply business soon–I will let you know when that happens!
