Monday, August 9, 2010

howard

so i'm back from west virginia. i spent 4 days in a row working a demolition site. it was ridiculously hard work. you wouldn't think it would be... like oh yeah, let's just knock down some walls! but no... it takes SO LONG to demolish a trailer! holy crap... by the 3rd day, i didn't think i was gonna make it... but here i am. i definitely stepped on a nail... am i up to date on my tetanus shots? hmmmm... probably something to look into i suppose.

we got to have lunch everyday with an elderly fellow named howard. he would tell us stories of his life... working in the coal mines, going to war, growing up in macdowell county & falling in love with his wife dorothy as we rested in the shade on his front porch eating our bagged lunches. we made an extra sandwich for him every day. on our last day with howard, i brought my guitar & we sang some songs for him. he said it reminded him of a radio station he used to listen to that played music. he began to cry, telling us how much of a blessing we were to him & how he doesn't really get to talk to people anymore. his wife died & his daughter only comes around when she needs something. it was incredibly hard to leave knowing that he wouldn't have company for lunch the next day.