I told you in Family Déjà Vu about going to see In The Heights, Broadway’s groundbreaking musical hit, for Daughter’s birthday. Unfortunately, Husband took ill just before the show and we brought in a ringer to fill his seat, so that left just Son and me in the car on the way home. I drive a beloved 2006 Sentra, which has developed a strange noise in the air conditioner after it runs for a while. The unit will seem fine; then from the depths of the condenser’s bowels rises a hollow, satanic whining that dissolves into a furious gurgling sound like a thousand lemmings drowning. Driving home from the city with Son, the air conditioner had been on about half an hour when the screeching rodents from hell began their unearthly howl.
OSV: Do you hear that noise?
SON: Do I hear it? I’ve never heard anything like it in my life.
OSV: But you weren’t going to say anything?
SON: Mom, it made the same noise last summer. I figured if you’re keeping it around that long, you must like it.
OSV: I don’t like it.
SON: Then take it over to Artie.
OSV: Don’t you think I have? Every time I bring it to Artie, it won’t make the noise. He can’t fix it if he can’t hear it.
SON: Give Artie the car. Tell him to take it home and drive it around for the weekend. It’ll get fixed.
The lemmings leaped toward the vents in a high-pitched squeal, scratching to escape. Son looked at me like I deserved a telethon. He shook his head sadly.
SON: You don’t have to live like this.
The next morning, our new landscaping service began. I had been using a guy for years who was even more complacent about our grass than I was. The only difference was he got paid for it. Husband suggested we hire the service used by the neighbors across the street since their lawn always looks amazing. That Monday morning, the new truck pulled up and Carlos knocked at the door.
CARLOS: We’re going to work first on the shrubs along the side of the house.
OSV: You’ll give them a good trimming? They’ve never been properly groomed.
CARLOS: They’re dead. We’re taking them all out. We’ll plant new ones next week.
I nodded and then he nodded. Unless I’m mistaken, his was a telethon nod.
Daughter’s Featured Fotos set the Mood
shadows
missbehave magazine
majestic
lost
connected
