Orchard

Tonight Glen showed me how to take apart and rebuild a lawnmower engine. He explained each step thoroughly, but threw around mechanical jargon as if the names of the tiny, intricate pieces of metal were common knowledge. I asked a lot of questions. I think he's getting used to that by now. The darker the sky became, the faster and clumsier his fingers moved. Then the sun disappeared behind the soybean field. I stood over his shoulder trying to hold the flashlight steady while Thomas Edison meowed and purred and pushed his claws through my jeans into my skin, competing with the lawnmower for attention. Occasionally Glen asked me to turn a screw in for him. Mostly I just listened and watched and learned.