DOING IN THE COLD SPELL

 

NOTHING BUT SNOW

            --How are you guys doing in the cold spell? Any snow?

                                                V.T.

Snow is what we saw on television screens

back in North Dakota, Vance. This morning

and last night, and the night before that,

had me thinking about the 51 Plymouth

Dad plugged into an electrical cord.

I was 5 or 6 and remember how long

that cord was, and how far from the house.

It’s not that cold here. I gave my Honda Fit

to my granddaughter on her birthday

at Christmas, and I miss saying to Karen,

I’m taking the Fit. I’m rehabilitating

Big Dog Dodge, 3500, the Ram,

15 years old and needing

enough work only a 401K

would remedy. Who knew?

I thought it to be white and shiny.

Before snow fell this week

I thought it was spring.

Before snow fell, (I had not), I’d just climbed

from the stool up on the left fender,

mounting it, really, like the neighborhood

dog of our childhood, not penetrating

anything, trying to maintain balance

as I attempted pulling one of two batteries

heavier than anything I’d ever carried

in my backpack trekking. (All this

in the front yard, telling me,

I am a very funny man).

Am I being watched? Re-minding me,

too, that one disc in my lower back

is 78 years old. There were three trips

to the auto store for parts,(and non-parts),

and after watching the online video

from Dodge on how to replace batteries,

the video 40 seconds long on their watch,

I was just under three hours

replacing the screw holding the battery

in place. Two teenagers working the shop

were good to me, told me I didn’t need

the what, asbestos wrap? surrounding

the batteries, It’s just filling, telling me,

too, they liked working on cars

because it made them feel better

about just about everything--

that there’s just that much less stress

when you’re under the hood.

The last time I returned I just wanted to be comforted.

I made some mistakes putting new batteries

back in, also, but won’t try and make you laugh

about them, because you’re too sensitive

and might cry for me. And they, were,

dumb, Vance, the other things I did.

I did not get arrested for humping

the Dodge (but I looked up the word).

But you asked about the weather.

Or was it snow. And how are we doing?

What’s that about? How are we doing?

We’re doing great, just great.

Karen’s getting around, and we’re thinking

about taking down Christmas.

Just the decorations, not America.

Coffee at Starbucks. Jackie Prout baked

scones for Rob to bring, Lovins, Barry, me.

two degrees in the dodge when I left,

by the time I shifted into 4-wheel drive

it was down to one. Pulling into the driveway,

an even zero. The plug-in for the Dodge

right there and I don’t have to lift

the hood and go looking.

What could be better!

Jim