A Gift for JIm

A GIFT FOR JIM
..... My neighbor, Jim Kilcrease, walks his chow-mix “Woofy” a couple of times a day making a short up & down loop of our quiet little street called San Acacio, here in the old country club area of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
..... Jim, 88, has macular degeneration and wears those black wrap-a-round glasses that make it hard for him to recognize his friends in passing cars. Jim and Woofy always stay the course close to the edge of the road, walking against oncoming traffic so he can at least hear approaching cars. We, of the neighborhood and Jim’s/Woofy’s friends, try and stop and chat; bring each other up to date and in general, block traffic as locals who do “own” their turf!
.....A couple of days ago I was on my way to the market and I spot Jim & Woofy coming up the street. I pulled over and said “morning, Jim, that old dog of yours is starting to get a little grey around the edges” “Hell’s-fire, man, aren’t we all?” Then he ask about our roof repair (Our close-knit neighborhood got slammed with a catastrophic hail storm last October 1st, giving all of us something in common to talk about)
..... “Fine, I said, when you having yours done?” “Don’t have a time-line, whenever my contractor-son can get to ‘er”. “well, if you need the number of the guy who did mine, let me know, he did a swell job “
..... I was parked near his home, window down on the passenger side with Jim leaning in trying to see me clearly through those “Star-Trek” glasses. “Ya know, Jack, ya’l ought a come over and visit sometimes and we’ll have some coffee with a drup of whisky” There was a pause, and I could imagine Jim tearing-up behind those black glasses. He lost his wife a couple of years ago, can’t drive anymore and his walking with Woofy is just about the extent of his social life.
..... He’s in good company in our older part of Upper San Acacio Street. Were all “greying” and becoming a partner of one, slowly, house by loving home.
..... “Hey, Jim, gotta go now, anything I can get you from the store?” “Naw, I’m OK; but, next time you’re driving by take a picture of my old Ford truck” “I’d like you to do a nice pen & ink of her to add to my collection of your art “ ( I did a pen & ink of Woofy years ago and another one of his Son’s Saint Bernard, Bailey, too)

......Jack……………Happiest of Holidays