Polly opened the car door for Mom.
I opened the passenger side door.
Doggy Bag scampered out ahead of me.

Polly took Mom's hand as she stepped out.

"We'll go on up there to the house.
Got air conditioning up there.
Got a swimming pool too."

"Youz can splash around in it for a spell.
Cool your cakes."


Off to the left, about a hop and skip away
stood a rather homely looking white house.

It sat on a green hill and was highlighted
by a collection of trees that were swaying
in summer's heated breath.

Completely enclosed by neatly trimmed hedges
it looked like a comfortable country home-grown
dwelling place.

From there it's freshly mowed lawn stretched
all the way down hill to the dirt yard on which
the garage stood.

The sprinklers were spraying cool mist in the air.
Doggy Bag couldn't resist scampering over to delight
in the chilling shower.

"No, Doggy Bag," I called, "come back."

"You let that fine little dawgy go, child,"
Polly said as she hastened to catch up with him.
"I say. He makes the finest lawn ornament
in this whole county."

For a short tubby girl like Polly, she could run pretty fast.

"Youz better come too if you're as hot as you look.
Whole lot cooler up there top the hill.

When I managed to catch up with Polly
Mom hadn't decided whether she would
race with us or not.

Running through the mist felt like flying through air.

Mom just stood there looking like a, a, a grown-up
watching kids play.

Doggie Bag was already on top of the hill waiting...
with his body zigzagging and his tail frisky wagging.

Mom stood in the shower of the nearest sprinkler.
She was content to tarry there.

Polly scooped up a red rubber hand ball
and tossed it in my direction.

It took one bounce before Doggy Bag
pounced playfully upon it.

The grass was wet and cool.
The air smelled of a nearby flower garden.

I inhaled a deep breath through my nose
and puffed it out through my lips.

I looked to see what Mom was doing.

She was still there in the sprinkler mist,
but she wasn't alone.

A handsome young man was with her
and they were talking together.

"That be my brother, Jake," Polly told me.
"He twenny two. Polly gonna be eighteen.
Birthday in just three days."

"Ooooo. Happy birthday," I said.

"Not quite yet. Too long comin'.
Happy when it gits here."

"Where's Snow-white?" I asked.

"She's in the house with Tiger Lily."

"Tiger Lily?"

"She be my Gramma.
Been livin' here with Jake and me
ever since Grammpa died."

"Sorry to hear about that, Polly...
I mean about your grammpa."

That was the first time I saw Polly's sunshiny eyes
get cloudy. Her pudgy cheeks turned red.

"Oh...good ole Grammpa. He be alright.
Him bein' up there in heaven and all."

"Polly do kind of miss his huggin' and kissin' though.
Miss that lots."

A silent moment passed.
I could feel Polly, and Polly could feel me.

Mourning with her...I hadn't noticed that Mom,
and Jake had disappeared.

I felt that it would be best for both of us,
if we changed the subject.

"Where do you think Mom and Jake got off to?" I asked.

"Saw them go in the house." Polly replied.
"Guess we better do it too, huh?"

"I guess," I replied softly.