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Nine
“Nine will help you carry those out to the car”
I glanced up and se Mr Purcell was one of several custo out for half a pallet of potting soil like he was today Walt’s assurance of my help was one I’d heard thousands of times in my life
Nine will help Nine will carry that Nine will do that for you It was a familiar refrain both at work and at my family’s farm
As I nored the buzz ofme all day to remind me of the leaky bathroom faucet she neededht this weekend As if I’d forget The first Friday of the ht to buy beer Lord only knehy I drew the first Friday when I was the last boy out of the ten of us, but there it was It was fine I didn’t complain I never complained, and I always helped out
It hat I was known for, and honestly, I enjoyed helping people I liked knowing so I did made someone else’s life easier
Mr Purcell turned toany ht do one on repairing roof flashing Now that the weather’s turning, I’d like to get up there and patch everything Be great if I could do itcompany, you know?”
I gathered up several of the bags of potting soil from the counter and threw the out your door locks like you asked, but I haven’t done any roofing ones yet”
“Oh! Well if you did the door locks, let et ’em knocked out this afternoon I’d like to break offjams up”
He opened the rear hatch in his old Suburban, and I loaded the bags of soil before turning to get the res of soil, seeds, and starter pots he’d purchased I pointed hiht there to ht items As soon as I’d closed his SUV up, I joined him on aisle four
“Didn’t you say you needed one for the tool shed too?” I asked, scratching the back ofto reo “Oh, and Debbie’s place now that Nate left Can’t be too careful after a breakup”
Mr Purcell snapped his fingers “Daet her to irls can be Stubbornly independent, that’s how” He reached for the set I pointed out “Hey, speaking of independent wo a shift at the hospital She’s pregnant again, isn’t she?”
“Yes, sir Beth and Matt are expecting their third You can i up a storrandchild”
His eyes sparkled I already knew that half the iterandson with a 4-H project The Purcells were as close asto join the club and startyour mama happy?” he asked with a wink, but I kneas serious I was only twenty-four, but because my oldest brother was thirty-seven, people tended to think of ht ball when it ca down
I sed I’d never been all that co the center of attention “Well, sir I guess when the right wo In the meantime I’m pretty happy with just me and Nacho, you know?”
The dog heard his name and perked his head up behind the checkout counter I heard the telltale jingle of his collar and tags
Mr Purcell laughed “Man needs hta ask out that new girl orks at the diner Debbie said she’s a sweetheart, not like that woman who married the vet She’s a piece of work if you don’t ”
I did h e’d dated, and I knew for a fact she was happy as a clam now that she ith Eric Pender It had turned out for the best all around when she’d duot eant wave in the town parade with a nice big rock on her finger