FIRST DAYS PART THREE (MEETING BOB)

EVEN AS A LITTLE BOY, I LOVED WATERING THE FLOWERS WITH A GARDEN HOSE.  MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME NOT SPRAY THEM INTO THE GROUND BUT LET A GENTLE STREAM FLOW AROUND THE ROOTS.  ONE TIME WHEN I WAS ABOUT 13, A NEIGHBOR HIRED ME TO RUN THE SPRINKLERS ON HIS FRONT YARD EVERY SEVERAL DAYS AS HE WAS GOING TO GONE FOR A WEEK.  HE WORSHIPPED HIS GRASS....IT HAD TO BE THE BEST LAWN ON THE BLOCK OR HE WAS NOT HAPPY.  I FORGOT TO TURN THEM OFF AND THEY RAN FOR THE BETTER PART OF THREE DAYS.  WHEN HE CAME HOME AND SAW SUCH A MAGNIFICANT BLUE-GREEN EMERALD  OFA LAWN, HE GAVE ME A NICE TIP. SO, HERE I WAS AT EIGHTY YEARS OF AGE BACK IN 1952 WHERE I WAS 12.  I FOUND A WATER HOSE AT MY PLACE UP THE STREET AND BEGAN TO USE WATERING THE FRONT LAWN AS AN EXCUSE TO BE LOOKING .  I ALSO BEGAN TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LAWN . MY HEART BEGAN TO BEAT FAST WHEN I SAW BOBBY (ME) COMING UP THE STREET THROWING THE PAPER.  HE WAS SHORT, WIRY,  AND HAD A REAL MOP OF HAIR WHICH WAS A REAL SORE POINT WITH DAD.  WHEN HE APPROACHED MY HOUSE, I WAVED HIM OVER AND ASKED IF HE WOULD START THROWING MY PAPER.  HE SAID SURE AND HANDED ME A PAPER.  I COULDNT HELP BUT STARE AT HIM....REALLY A CUTE LITTLE GUY...LOOKED LIKE HE WAS PRETTY FAST AND STRONG...I ASKED HIM HOW HE LIKED THROWING PAPERS AND HE TOLD ME HE LIKED EVERY THING BUT COLLECTING.  HE TOLD ME HE LIKED TO THROW THINGS AND THEN WENT ON TO TELL ME ABOUT STICKING A PAPER IN BETWEEN THE SLOTS OF A LOUVERED WINDOW PANEL BESIDES A WINDOW.  HE DID NOT SEEM TOO INTERESTED IN ME BUT DELIGHTED IN TALKING ABOUT HIMSELF.  (EUREKA!)  HE TOLD ME HOW HIS FATHER BOUGHT A BRAND NEW BICYCLE FOR HIM DOWN AT MATTHEW'S BIKE SHOP, BUT HE DIDN'T LIKE IT.  HE WENT ON AND ON ABOUT THE "OLD HAG" WHO LIVED BEHIND HIS HOUSE AND GIVEN HIM AN OLD BICYCLE AND HOW HE MADE IT INTO HIS OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS.  HE TOOK THE FENDERS OFF, REVERSED THE HANDLE BARS, BOUGHT SOME SHINY NEW WHEELS FROM MR SORTINO UP THE STREET FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, AND PAINTED THE BIKE MANDARIN ORANGE USING SOME PAINT HE FOUND IN GARAGE.  HE ALSO TOLD ME HOW HE HAD PAINTED HIS FATHER'S "FIDDLE" MANDARIN ORANGE.  HE SAID "I FOUND HIS FIDDLE IN GARAGE..HE NEVER PLAYED IT"   AND, JUST LIKE THAT, THE INTERVIEW WAS OVER.  HE DID SAY THANK YOU FOR THE NEW SUBSCRIPTION AND WAS ON HIS WAY UP ROSEMARY.  PEDDLES PUMPING.  PAPERS FLYING TO EXACT TARGETS..HAIR FLYING...LOST IN HIS WORLD.   I FELT RELIEVED THE ICE HAD BEEN BROKEN....I REALLY LOVED THE LITTLE GUY...(TO BE CONTINUED)