Pat On The Corner

For eighteen years I have lived in this subdivision. The houses are mostly ranch style and from 1800 to 2100 sq. feet resting on generous lots of thick, lush, green grass and mowing this generous lot is not one of my favorite ways to enjoy the heat of the summers here. I now have a riding lawn mower so I can zip it out in a few minutes. When that lawn mower dies, I hope I'm not far behind!

The street I live on is, shall we say, very conservative. No block parties, few house parties and unlike the street one block away, basically very boring. Every Sunday morning the neighors can be seen decked out in their finery and headed for the church.

One block over, there are block parties and neighborly gatherings, or at least that was the way it was when I moved into this neighborhood. More then a few times, I have wondered what life here would have been to have lived one block away.

The house next door sold a few years back to a couple in their mid-thirties and childless; childless by their own choice. Within a week of their arrival, a banner was strung across the front of the house announcing a huge welcome to the keg and the hot tub. I couldn't help but notice as the cars arrived and filled the driveway, then the lawn and then started parking roadside and since we don't have off road parking, it was on the curb. The party was on and has been on for the past few years since their arrival. A beer in hand, they wave and smile as they come and go and I have enjoyed this immensely. Every LSU game and every Saints game the driveway fills, the hot tub fills and the TV on their patio blares out the game. I see some life in the neighborhood and I'm sure they are the talk of the street. I am most glad they are here; I like these lively neighbors.

I know this was titled "Pat On The Corner" so I best get to it.

Pat is a 76 year young lady. She lives on the corner one block away from my house. Snow white hair, chocolate brown eyes that are clear and round shaped as a dime, she is beautiful, tall and slim. Watching her walk and move around, you would never guess her age. Pat is another favorite of mine although we usually meet by chance. If I pass by her house and she is outside, I slow, wave and sometimes stop. The minute or two stop escalates quickly into an hour if I don't terminate it before then. I always say "hi, I just have a minute....." and it never is just a minute when you stop and talk to Pat.

Carrie and I were out for a short walk a few weeks after my knee surgery when we passed Pat's house and she was in the yard. That visit turned into 2 unplanned pleasant hours. She is just one of those people that is entertaining and lively and time passes quickly in her company.

Tonight my door bell chimed. I looked at the husband as he headed for the door wondering who would come visiting this evening. I heard her when she stepped into the room as I was moving slowly from the office to the living room to see who was here. Pat was stopping by, something she seldom does as I seldom visit her. Our visits are, as said before, usually by chance.

Pat was coming to give me her phone number; she requested some information a few days ago and since I hadn't stopped by, she made this visit.

She stayed 2 hours! We had a great time. Pat has a computer; she uses it to play online games. Tonight Pat sat beside me at this office computer and we Googled the information she sought. I printed it and handed it to her. Pat doesn't surf the net because no one has shown her how to use her computer other then the games she plays online.

When friends ask her if she has an email address she says "yes, but I don't know what it is". Her Internet service provider is the standard one but since she didn't know what it was we went directly to Hotmail and chose a name and password while registering.

I signed into my Hotmail, mailed her an email with a picture attached while she sat beside me watching closely. I moved slowly explaining everything as I went. I don't expect her to remember all of what I told her; nobody does and this I told her also.

I signed out of my account and showed her how to sign into hers; we did and opened the email with the picture I had attached. You would have thought I had performed brain surgery by listening to her squeals of amazement. Maybe that's why I like her so much; she thinks I'm smart. I'm giggling here. I had to tell her that Carrie at 2 yrs and some months could maneuver around on the computer. I didn't want my friend Pat to be too impressed with me; people with clay feet and all that ya know.

I enjoyed Pat's visit. As soon as hubby leaves on his next job, I've promised Pat On The Corner I would come to her house and we would do more tricks on the computer. Tonight after 18 years, I know Pat on The Corner's last name. She had written it on the slip of paper with her phone number that she left on my kitchen counter.

I will remember it because it is her Hotmail address now.