the garbage buddy

i rinse a dish and place it on the towel laying by the sink. he rushes by with cap on head and a smile on his lips.

"wanna take the garbage with me?"

he grabs the plump plastic bag hidden inside the cabinet and ties it in a knot. heading outside with a spring in his step, i follow. drinking deeply of the fresh air, i slip on my well-worn boots as he chunks the bag into the overflowing plastic trash can on wheels. keys in hand, he heads to the truck with a whistle happily escaping his lips.

the hefty dodge roars to life with the turn of his key. i hastily open the tailgate and leap onto it. he pushes and i pull as we heave together the can up into the truck bed.

i contentedly crawl up on his tool box. he rolls down the window and cranks up the music.

the roaring truck rolls and my heart joyously skips a beat. he drives to the gate and it creaks as I open it. he pulls through and we ride. the music reaches my ears as the wind meets my face. hair blowing, mouth smiling. i duck and dodge tree limbs. we wave to the neighbors.

he sings along and dances as best he can while driving. i laugh.

the sun is sinking and the sky is blue. the trees are tall and the long shaded driveway is sandy.

the words from the stereo reach my ears.

life is a highway, i wanna ride it all night long.

if you're going my way, i wanna drive it all night long.

we reach the tornado ravaged spot. the trees are gone and so is a piece of my heart. i look down into the open window at the boy, my brother. green eyed, dirty blonde, twenty-one and he's not a kid anymore. he asked and she said “yes” and there's a pretty little ring.

it hits me. taking my breath away just as the treeless spot after the tornado. it's an empty place where trees once stood tall and my heart is empty too. he'll be going and our life as brother-sister in the same house won't be a highway anymore. he'll be starting a family and i'll be watching from a distance.

she'll take the spot riding with him on his highway. they'll be taking their own garbage can to the road.{and who will take ours?}

he yells up out the window at me, teasing and cutting up and he jolts me from my thoughts. he switches on his truck flashers because that's what he does to playfully tease.

in a haze, i help unload the smelly can as the music plays. the song ends. the sun goes down. and life makes it's turn before my eyes.

i love her and i love him... and i sure will miss taking that garbage can.

{the morning he was headed to ask his girl to marry him}

{giveaways! modern mayflower (tell them i sent ya on this one!) the crowley party, cubette's corner, cait. create. and love stitched}