“I really think your best bet is to hire someone,” my dad was saying. “You could plan out your whole backyard.”
Scott met my eyes over dad’s shoulder, grinned and winked.
“There’s just so much grass back there,” Scott said to dad, keeping up his end of the conversation while I nearly choked on the last of my food at his thinly veiled innuendo. “I love how functional your yard is. You can do anything back there.”
“It is nice,” dad agreed while he piled another plate with the last few pancakes and handed it to Scott.
“I’m afraid the bacon’s all gone,” dad said, spearing me with a mock glare.
“Yes, well. Ya snooze, ya lose,” I said.
“Thanks for the breakfast, Mr. Murphy.
“I just really like your backyard,” Scott said, meeting my eyes over his pancakes.
“It is pretty great,” I said. “I have some incredible memories.”
“Yeah. I was looking at it from my office yesterday and it was just so gorgeous. Inviting. I just wanted to sink into it.”
I have to admit, I nearly shot hot coffee out my nose at that one.
“You okay, kiddo,” dad asked me as I tried to catch my breath.
“I’m… cough… I’m fine, daddy.”
“My favorite part of our yard is having the outdoor kitchen,” dad went on as though I hadn’t just nearly coughed up a lung.
“I’d love to have something like that, too,” Scott said.
“I’ll find the contact information for Chad, the guy who did the design for me way back when. Last I heard he had started his own business, but I got him here when he was still struggling. He does great work, but I’m sure he costs a pretty penny these days.”
“I’d love to talk to him. Get him over to take a look.”
“I’ll have to check my office for his contact information.”
“No hurry, Mr. Murphy.”
“Please, I told you to call me Brian.”
“Of course, Brian. Old habits, I guess,” Scott said, waving one hand vaguely in the air. “My mother taught me that…”
“Being polite is always welcome.
“Speaking of always welcome… My other daughter is bringing her family over this afternoon at 1 o’clock for a cookout. You’re welcome to join us, Scott.”
“Sounds awesome. Can I bring anything?”
“Just yourself. A pretty girl, too, if you have one,” dad suggested.
“Nah, I don’t have a steady girl these days. I’ll have to make do with making eyes at your daughter, even though I know I’m unworthy of her,” Scott teased.
“And that’s a fact. Ain’t nobody good enough for my baby.”
“Seriously, daddy?” I scoffed. I didn’t want to say too much. Scott was treading way to close to getting me in hot water.
“So, Scott… have you met my sister and her family? You’ve lived nextdoor for months now, right?”
“I have met them, but not because I’m your dad’s neighbor. Ike and I graduated from high school together.”
“Oh, yeah? So do you hang out?”
“Not really. We didn’t run in the same circles. My dad uses Ike’s firm for accounting.”
“Ah… Ike’s a good guy, but he’s more than a little…”
“Boring.”
“Exactly.”
We made small talk about mutual friends as he finished his breakfast. I was able to glean that he was either 27 or 28-years-old. He loved his job at Still Water Sound where he mostly worked on investigating and then testing new recording equipment. He loved music of all types and talked enthusiastically of a guitarist he’d seen at a bar in one of the little college towns just north of the city.