You Never Know

Jimmy and I had been neighbors for about three years, but we never said much more than hello, or good morning to one another. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but I worked odd hours, and he was strictly a nine to five person, so our paths didn't really cross all that much.

We lived on a pretty busy street in an otherwise quiet neighborhood, and the people living in the houses around us pretty much kept to themselves. There weren't a lot of backyard cookouts, and I'm not sure that anyone had any kids. If they did, they weren't noisy. Of course, I'm a pretty heavy sleeper.

I didn't know that it had snowed pretty heavily overnight until I got a phone call from my job telling me not to come in, that the roads were too dangerous. The kid in me thought snow day; the adult in me knew that meant the sidewalk needed to be shoveled.

ASAP. Nothing brought the city together like the chance to hand out tickets.

I bundled up, grabbed my snow shovel, and headed out the front door about the same time as Jimmy did.

"Snow, huh?" He grunted.

"Yeah." I grunted back.

Jimmy wasn't tall; he looked like he was maybe five-ten, but he had some muscle on him, and he was making much shorter work of the snow that I was. Truthfully, I was more than a little out of shape. Weird hours, and a somewhat sedentary job, had led to me sleeping more, exercising less, and eating way too much fast food.

"Need a hand?"

"That'd be great." If I'd had any pride, I wouldn't be breathing like a fairy tale wolf about to be done in by three little pigs, and a pile of bricks.

Together we knocked the rest of my sidewalk off, then we did Mrs. Patterson's. She was a little up in age, and couldn't rely on her grandson to do it for her. My back hurt like heck, and I was pretty sure I was having a heart attack, but it felt good.

"I've got coffee on."

"I could go for coffee."

Another bad habit; way too much caffeine.

His house was a lot neater than mine would ever aspire to be, and I was immediately envious.

"Cream and sugar."

"Just sugar. I like my coffee black."

"I had a feeling you'd say that."

"Really?" Now I was interested.

"I noticed you work a lot of nights, figured you like your coffee with a kick."

"Yeah. Something like that."

"Relax." He smiled. "I'm not the nosy neighbor, I'm just a bit of an insomniac. Mrs. Jaimeson, on the other hand..."

"Sometimes, I put gay porn pics in my trash, just to see if she'll have a stroke going through it."

Jimmy had a relaxed laugh. "Knowing that old bird, she probably got off on it."

"Yeah." I agreed. I kind of got the feeling that he wasn't surprised about the pictures; I was just obvious enough.

"Sit down, take off your coat." He set a cup in front of me, and the aroma from the coffee was strong enough to give the dead a kick in the pants. "The snow is letting up, and I think we deserve a rest."

"Thanks."

He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I was just an average working Joe who'd lucked into this neighborhood, and suddenly the man I'd probably not said fifty words to in three years was getting an earful about my hobbies, my exes, and my desire to get into shape. He had beautiful blue eyes, and slightly graying hair, and I was surprised at how easily the conversation flowed. We had lunch while he talked about himself; divorced, no kids, and his job in upper management, and about his dream of being a writer.

"If you're looking for someone to read it, I'm available."

"I'm not sure I'm ready yet, but thanks. If you really want to get into shape, I have a bike, and a free weight bench in the basement. I also have a punching bag. I'd be happy to spot you."

"I'd really appreciate that, Man. You sure you don't mind?"

"I work out anyway. It'd be nice to have some company. I usually go to the gym, but since the divorce, I'm not really feeling it."

"Awesome. Not about the divorce."

He laughed again. "I gotta say it was nice meeting you, Todd. You're a little different than I expected."

"I get that a lot. I'm kind of an odd duck, or so my exes have said."

"Their issue, not yours."

"Thanks, Man."

"I'm serious about the working out. You were a little winded."

"Yeah, I know. I just stopped smoking about three months ago."

"Good for you. That could not have been easy. My doctor's been on me for years to give up sweets."

"Let's just say that it was good thing I was flying solo at the moment. And the moment before. And the moment after."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Todd. You'll find someone, you just need to get yourself out there again."

"Maybe after I drop a few pounds."

"Do that for you, not for them. Let them get to know the real you."

"Yeah."

"Yeah." He mocked, and I laughed. I needed to work on my conversational skills with somebody attainable, but damn! Those blue eyes.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll get back out there if you do."

"Okay."

We both heard the unmistakable sound of a snowplow making its way down the street.

"Guess it's back to the old grind again tomorrow."

"Yep."

"I'm glad we did this."

"Me too."

"I'm home Saturday."

"Hint hint."

"I'll make the coffee strong."

"In that case..."

He walked me to the door. The street was getting busy again, but in the quiet interlude, I'd discovered that you never know what the snow will bring.