I am cleaning the activity room of my parent's 8,000 square foot house with Dad. We are preparing for my cousin, Rodney's, wedding reception, which will be held here on Saturday. Rodney is one of my favorite people. He ALWAYS makes me laugh. Everybody should have their very own Rodney.
I sweep the slate floor of this vast room. I see the end of this chore far off in the distance. I look forward to dancing here with my crazy Tia Letty on Saturday. Letty is one of my favorite people. She ALWAYS tells delightfully dirty jokes. Everybody should have their very own Tia Letty.
There are Mexican labors just outside the sliding glass door. They are laboring laboriously.
"Uh huh," I say to Dad. "Who are those guys? They my cousins or something?"
I have an enormous extended family. My mother keeps finding more family members as time progresses. She is very generous and always employs family when work is available.
I have come to assume any hard working Mexican man is my long lost relative. Is he wearing a cowboy hat and boots? Does he speak spanish? He is probably related. I welcome him with open arms. If he gooses me whilst I am unawares then I know he is not family and I deliver a good sound SLAP!
"I had to go to the south side where all the labors wait for jobs on the street corner," says Dad. "I couldn't believe how many were there. Just waiting for someone to offer them work for the day! It was crazy when I pulled up!"
"So you picked these guys up on the south side? On the street corner? They're not even family or anything?"
"Not that I know of."
"Glad I didn't hug and kiss 'em hello then. Give 'em the wrong idea about what kind of generosity we offer around here...So you pull up and there are all these guys... How did you CHOOSE? You must have felt so powerful! Did you use the Eeney Meenie Miney Moe Method?"
"No. There was an older man heading up the group. He had a list in his hand. I didn't want to hire the older man. I had a lot of tough work to do here at the house. I wanted a young guy who could work hard without getting tired...".
"Makes sense...".
"I told the man with the list (in my best Spanish) that I was sorry but I needed to hire the kid in the back of the line. He looked strong and able. The man kept pointing to the list and saying, 'BUT I AM NEXT ON DEE LEEST! I AM NEXT ON DEE LEEST! "
"Yikes. What did you do?"
"I told him never mind and I drove a little further down the street and hired a couple of young guys from a different group. THEY didn't have a 'leest' ".
"I feel bad for the older guy who didn't get the job. Must be rough to be out there waiting all day for work and never knowing if work will come...".
"Yeah...," says Dad. "But I can't afford to pay someone who can't do the work I require. When it comes down to brass tacks that 'leest' is the LEAST of my worries."
Get it??!! LEAST? OF MY WORRIES??? I laughed real hard at that one... I was like, HAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA! ....MY DADDY IS SOOOO CLEVER AND SO HANDSOME AND SO FUNNY! I JUST LOVE HIM TO PIECES, IS WHAT!
PS I found the dress I'm gonna destroy for my Halloween costume today! I feel so pretty and princessy when I wear it! I wore it all evening. YAY!!
It is Vintage and $7. I will tell you her story tomorrow. Unless I don't feel like writing or if I overeat and feel fat or something... (I don't like to write when I feel fat... too grumpy.)
Happy Friday!!
