Hellooo?

Whenever there is a variation in routine by a person who lives alone and is more there than here, there is a reason for concern. Of the twelve houses that live on my block, three have children. Which is a pretty good indication that the parents who live in those houses with the children I rarely see, are younger than me. Much younger. So this isn’t about them.

Some near my age - give or take in either direction, seem older secondary to the ailments their bodies (or minds) have. Me? I have no ailments, either physical or mental. Some, of course, would beg to differ. No mind. As I was saying then, today, as on every Tuesday, the “Sanitation Engineer” (no one uses the politically correct term of trash man, anymore) does us the favor of swinging his truck ‘round to pick-up the refuse we park at the curb for his convenience. Well, not everyone has this luxury so not everyone on my block, in fact there are only five of us out of the twelve that live here who actually pay to have someone do something we can just as easily do ourselves for free….. (ain’t life grand?), puts their trash out the night before. But George does. George lives alone. George didn’t put his trash out last night. A variation in routine.



See? No curb-side trash.



Now. What does this mean? Do I attempt to make contact? Do I keep looking out the front window at his house to detect some hint of life? Maybe I’ll send an email. Not one of those silly (as in stupid) cartoons or riddles he sends me. The ones I delete without even opening because-I-can emails, but a one-liner that would oblige him to answer. And one that I wouldn’t have to answer-back should he indeed still be alive. I won’t call. Calling over the telephone means there is an expectation of a conversation. No. I don’t think so.

Can I just do nothing? Assuming there is something to do nothing about. He probably didn’t have any trash this week. Or he probably just forgot. Yes. That’s it. He forgot. Ah drats, now I have to do something.

Wait ............... !

I’m missing the obvious here!

The spousal unit.

Rummaging around in the kitchen.

He’s just minding his own business,

completely oblivious.………..

Dude?

Uh, dude?

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