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Paddle Your Own Canoe
Chapter 15


Bobby worked along with his aunt.  He pulled heavy soil out from places where it was built up around trees. The lithe young body allowed the man to set shovel fulls of transplants to wherever his aunt asked they be put. As he worked his strong arms and handsome good looks coming from being half of this and half of that,  obviously caught the attention of a neighbor woman. She some how or another managed to find one or another chore in her front yard as they worked at the street side of their property.

Dee noticed her but said not a word.  If  Bobby noticed, he certainly never gave an indication of it.

“Bobby, we need to turn this soil under the junipers so I can throw some flower seeds there. It will also help to catch the run off down this hill.  If you will set your shovel deep on the upper part of the bush, the water will run in there and not so deep on the lower side.  Also helps to keep these old bushes healthy for a while longer and then I won't be here to care,  later.”

“Aw Auntie!  You will be around a good while yet.”

“I don't know, Bobbie.  Just a few years back I wouldn't have to be bothering you with this.”

“It is no problem, Auntie.  I'm glad to do it.”

Over the years Dee sometimes grieved over things to go on with their family.  Like any other family they had their ups and downs and joked about taking a blue ribbon for being dysfunctional if awards were given out for such.  But, when some kind act by one of the nephews or nieces came around it was like a cold drink of water in the heat of the dessert, altogether and completely satisfying.

“What next?”  Bobbie was moving right on from one chore to another.

“I need to fill with soil a bit around the pear tree. The roots must be more protected. Again that wash off from the  downward flow of water. I'm experimenting with bamboo in that bed across there behind the house. The flower  bed  at this drop off has slowed the downward rush of the water considerably.  I've set starts of bamboo here. I don't know what is going to happen. I read it takes two years before there is any progress.”

“Hmm.  I can tell you what will happen if   it does take hold.  You will have to mow beside it to maintain. It travels by the roots. Some say it has even grown up through cement.  However, mowing will contain it.  It should be a very nice windbreak for you too. It has a beautiful sound in the wind.”

“Well, I'm not totally sure I want to leave this here.  Haven't made a decision. This may not even be a good variety. I bought it without knowing. Now,  I read it is called,  good-luck  bamboo and is really a variety to be grown in the house.”

“Oh yes, it is a wonderful plant for indoors and is supposed to be a better air purifier than even electronic air cleaners.”

“Hard to believe isn't it?”

“Yep, but plants are all wonderful, each in their own way.  Every one of them has some contribution to make to the environment.”

“Kind of like people, huh?”

“Bobby, if you don't need me for a bit I'm going to work on my Starwalker series.”

“Oh yes, Auntie.  I've been meaning to call your attention to that. You know about the Starwalker movie?  They are sure to have copyrights on that.”

“Why I'm doing it?”

“Oh yeah?  How is that?  I don't understand?”

“Well, you see, that was an Osage name.  Wats a moie,  John Hunter,  and I think he had the name quite some years before movies or televisions were ever created.”

“Are you serious?”  Bobby was surprised.

“Oh yes, John Hunter, the original Starwalker.  Isn't that a hoot?  So, you see, I think we have a claim to the original Starwalker.  I guess it is sort of like, “we were here first.”

Bobby and his Aunt enjoyed the beauty of the weather and he was totally engrossed in his love for gardening, as usual.  While they laughed together about the original Starwalker Dee had another reason to chuckle to herself.

The woman next door in her short shorts and halter top had all but stood on her head and done cartwheels to catch the man's attention.  Maybe because he worked all the time in the public at this same vocation or maybe because he was just absorbed   with the love of his chores.  He never did notice her.

“Randy, you are such a good helper.”  Bobbie was encouraging the four-year-old.

Dee was thinking to herself.  “No, Bobby.  It is you who are the good helper.”


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