The sun has disappeared, clouds have moved in, but it feels a bit warmer.  A few snowflakes are dropping lazily around us as we head to the next pole.  This pole moved easily which made it easy to turn and get the insulators off the cross arms.  Dad looked around.  We were actually standing in water.  Dad got a bit nervous.  Better head for drier ground, he said.  But there is a light purple insulator here, I said.  It wouldn’t come off.  So dad tried.  It was stuck on that pin tightly.  I decided to sit down while dad was doing his best to remove that insulator.

Guess I shouldn’t have done that.  My end of the cross arm sank down.  Dad’s end went up and whacked his chin kind of hard.  Not your day, I said, you always hurt yourself.  I should have left you at home, he said.  Why don’t you use the hammer and pull the nail out, I said.  The pins were always nailed in place, and the nail was left sticking out a bit probably to make it easy to remove if necessary.  Dad looked at me.  Why didn’t you say you brought the hammer?, dad asked.  I thought I just did.  You could have mentioned it sooner, he said.  Didn’t think of it.  Naturally, he said.  I handed dad the hammer, the nail came out easily and, got it, he said.  Must admit, that was a beautiful color.

After that we headed back to shore over to a nice little bunch of spruce trees so we could have some coffee.  Dad decided to get the coffee out himself this time for some reason.  He handed me my thermos.  Where is the food?  You specifically said you would bring the sandwiches, I said.  But I didn’t see any sandwiches so I thought you brought them.  You made them, how could you not see them, I said.  I didn’t make them, I thought you did.  You said you were going to bring them, that means making them too, I said.  Dad just looked and shook his head.  At least we have coffee this time, I added.  We both sat down on a log, dad made sure we were on opposite ends.

Dad was just pouring his coffee when I got up to take another look at that last insulator.  Seems that log must have been on a rock or something so my end went up and dad’s end went down.  Rather fast.  Dad jumped and yelled doing a bit of a happy dance.  Can’t be bees this time of year.  When dad’s end dropped, his cup fell and dad kind of lost his balance, pouring the entire contents of his thermos on his legs!  Wow, you really ought to be more careful, I said.  I wonder what mom will say, probably laugh all day about that one.  Not if we don’t tell her, said dad.  But she will see your wet pants and, that was it, I started laughing and I just couldn’t stop.

It was snowing heavily by this time.  Better head back, said dad.  I didn’t mind, I was nearly frozen anyway and was ready to get back and have more coffee to warm me up.  We’ll come back another time, he said.  Naturally.  Just what we need, another trip like this one.  Off we go with that long trek back.  And carrying 40 insulators each this time, which adds another 60 lbs.  I must have laughed the entire way back to the car.  I don’t know how you can laugh so much, said dad.  Lots of practice, I replied.  There we are, back at our favorite coffee shop, drinking hot coffee and eating french toast and bacon.  Best part of the day.  Dad just talked about the “nice” insulators we found.  I can’t believe we did this.  Really.

Steve and Muffin.

© 2020 Steve McLeod.