6. “Handle With Care”

6

"HANDLE WITH CARE"

THE TRAVELING WILBURYS

A bout a block away from Better with Age, I decided to call my dad. He picked up right away, as he usually did for me.

"What's up, Tiger?" I could hear water running and the clatter of dishes being stacked in the drying rack.

"Dad, I have had the strangest day."

"Well, any day that starts with your parents banging down the door at eleven a.m. is bound to be strange, sweetheart."

"Well, that too. But after you left, I went outside and did some gardening, and after Kari's boys showed up—oh, by the way, I totally called that one. They did end up having to do some penance yard work for me."

"That's good news. What on Earth did they do to deserve that severe a consequence?"

"Very funny."

I detailed the excellent job they'd done covering their family room with an entire Hallmark store's worth of gift wrap. My Dad's chuckle rumbled over the phone line.

"Anyway, right before they got there, Uncle Mike called."

"What did he have to say? "

"I don't even know where to start. But, basically, he called to tell me that he and Chris are moving in together."

"Isn't that the best news? Your mom and I are so happy for him. Both of them. I'm so happy to hear the contentment in his voice again."

"I feel the same way. Soooo… He had even more to talk about."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," I laughed. "So, with him moving in with Chris, that big house full of furniture becomes quite a bit to deal with. And, um, the point of his call today was to ask me to come down to Florida and stay in his house while he decides what to do with it."

The clattering stopped. "Oh, wow. Wow. That's an exciting prospect. How long would you be in Florida?"

"I'm not really sure. He said it's an open-ended invitation."

"What do you think you're going to do?"

I switched my tote bag from one arm to the other and rolled the tension from my shoulders. "Well, the timing of his call is a little… coincidental considering all the loving lectures I've been getting lately about shaking things up in my life. I suppose it would be a good opportunity for me to get a change of scenery, and if I'm there long enough, avoid shoveling my driveway all winter."

"Florida definitely has its benefits. Which way are you leaning, Tiger?" The water turned off, and a moment later, I heard the clink of ice falling into a rock glass. It was time for his nightly dose of apple juice. So predictable.

"I'm not really sure. I've only had this information for a few hours now, and right after I got off the phone with him, I walked down and hopped into Kari's two o'clock class. I thought I'd work my way through it in between sun salutations, but I didn't get anywhere. I ended up staying for a second class, and then we walked over to Better with Age and talked for a little bit, but I don't know. I don't have a whole lot of clarity about it right now. I definitely think I'm gonna have to sleep on this."

"That seems like a good idea. Things always seem a bit clearer after a good night's rest. And remember, what the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly."

"You know I'm a sucker for a Richard Bach quote. That one always finds me right when I need it most. I do feel a bit like I'm in the second round of being a caterpillar, waiting for my wings to grow, but I don't know if I'm gonna stay put on this little… bush or if I'm gonna spread my wings and fly. And if I do, what will I be when I get there?"

"Here's the good news. You don't have to make a decision tonight. You don't even have to make a decision tomorrow. Did my brother tell you how long you have to think about it?"

"He said to take as long as I need, but I'm guessing he'd rather know what he's gonna have to deal with sooner rather than later."

"Yeah, he's not the most patient guy. He's probably waiting for you to call back right now."

As I got closer to my house and past the line of bushes, my yard came into view, illuminated by the two dozen solar lights I'd installed a few years before. "It looks like the boys did a pretty good job out here. Everything is cleaned up. They put all the equipment away and managed to not burn the place down."

"That's definitely a step in the right direction. Well, it sounds as if you have had yourself quite an interesting day, love. I'm glad you got some things accomplished today and Matt and Alex were able to come over and get that yard work done for you. I bet that feels like a huge weight off your shoulders."

"Huge. I'm no spring chicken, Dad. This was never more obvious than on this walk home. My quads are not cut out for back-to-back yoga classes. Especially with Kari leading them. "

"If you're no spring chicken, what does that make me?"

I walked up the stairs to the porch, set my bag down on the table, sat down on the swing, and pulled my feet up next to me. "I don't even want to talk about it, but I'm so grateful that I always have you to bounce things off of, and you're always able to be a sounding board without trying to make my decision for me or pressure me one way or another. It's nice to have someone to talk to that can remain neutral. I do know one thing. If I end up staying in Florida for a while, I'm gonna miss you guys so much. I don't even know how I would begin to say goodbye."

My dad is quiet for a moment. "I'm thinking the very same thing. It definitely won't be easy, but I'll tell you this. I surely wouldn't mind having somewhere to visit over winter break. Who knows? We might be down there ringing your doorbell before you know it."

"Is that a promise or a threat?" I laughed. "Anyway, I think I'm gonna take the next few days to think everything through. God, I hate making big decisions on my own."

"While I've always been proud you inherited my madcap, devil-may-care view of the world, make jokes in light of serious situations, and laugh at inappropriate times, you are always careful to weigh all your options before making big decisions. And I know for certain this time is no exception. I'm confident you're going to make the best one for you this time, too. And if you hate it there and get homesick, you can always come back. My brother will understand. I'm certain of it."

"Kari actually said the same thing."

"That doesn't surprise me one bit. Great minds think alike."

"They certainly do. I've really appreciated picking your brain and talking through all of this tonight. And I know regardless of what I decide, I'm still going to be in a better position than I was when I woke up to the doorbell this morning. "

"Oh, yeah, that reminds me. We need to put new pajamas on your Christmas list this year."

"Well, nice pajamas haven't been much of a focus of mine for a while, Dad. But, thank you for noticing—and caring."

"Hard not to notice the ancient potato sack you were wearing when you answered the door this morning. You have a good night, Tiger. And if you need any more perspective on this, you just call me right back and I'll be here for you.

"And maybe give your mom a call so she can give you her perspective as well. We tend to complement each other with our advice. I have a pretty good idea of what she's going to say, but I'm sure she'd like to say it to you herself."

"Thanks, Dad. I appreciate you more than you'll ever know."

"Oh, I think I do know, sweetheart. I'll talk to you later."

We said our goodbyes and hung up. After taking a few more moments for quiet reflection that resulted in very little insight, I unfolded myself from the swing, picked up my bag, and walked into the house. On the kitchen counter, I found the journal I'd left on the porch next to a note thanking me for the cash and telling me it wasn't as hard as they'd expected.

"That's what she said," I whispered to myself, my throat tight thinking about their impending departure and, very possibly, mine.

After letting Roxy out, I walked around the kitchen collecting the gardening gloves, empty glasses, and slightly damp paper towels the twins had left in their wake.

Even this. I'll even miss their mess. Ugh. This day has been wild. How do I make the decision whether to leave this house behind for months and live somewhere that until now has been a week-long vacation spot?

Within twenty-four hours, I had my answer.