9:00 p.m. - 2009-10-26
\"Mr. Robinson\"
My sister wrote this and passed it along. I enjoyed it very much....
A month or two ago, I was home alone mowing the front lawn when a black gentleman on a bicycle rode into my drive way and said �Mam, let me help you do that�. I wasn�t nervous, didn�t feel personally threatened, I knew from his voice he was looking for work. I honestly wanted to finish the job myself as it is the only exercise I get, but I had a five dollar bill in my pocket and I pulled it out and handed it to him in appreciation of his kindness.
Unbeknownst to me he met my husband a week or so later, and Geoff did have some work for him, washed the cars I think. Geoff didn�t mention it to me. When Mr. Robinson stopped by the next time to ask if there was any work he could help with, he told me that my husband and I were the same, very nice people. Then I realized that he had met Geoff. While he was washing the cars, I gathered some canned goods, etc. and gave him a bag to take and paid him for his work.
On Mr. Robinson�s next visit something told me to ask before I packed a bag again, �Mr. Robinson, do you have cooking facilities?� he smiled and said �no maam�, smiled and then said �I�ll be alright�. He told me he stays near Pembroke Road in a van behind a friend�s house. �But I think my sister is going to fix me up a room, cuz she has our dad�s place and she trying to fix it up�. Truth, I don�t know.
So rather than food to cook, I made him two turkey sandwiches, a banana, and some cookies. One day I was leaving house and as I drove down the street I saw Mr. Robinson �working� with one of my neighbors. Made me feel good that he was staying busy with his endeavors.
A few weeks ago, my husband had a truck of dirt delivered and dumped in the front to spread all over our lawn. BIG JOB!! I laughed and said �where is Mr. Robinson when you need him�? A few days later, here he rides up on his bike, rang the bell and said �I see you got a lot of dirt there�. Geoff had been working on it for days but it was still a BIG pile of dirt. Geoff showed him how he wanted it spread, load the wheelbarrow, dump it, smooth it out with the backside of the rake, load it again, dump it, etc etc. Mr.Robinson worked solid for about 2 � hours, stopping only when I would take him a bottle of cold water. I packed sandwiches and fruit again and slipped a ten in the lunch bag. Geoff paid him after he finished and, handsomely I�ll say, because it was hard work and we were so glad to have it finished. I told Mr. Robinson, �when we got the dirt delivered, I told my husband we need a way to get in touch with you� and we both laughed. He said �I�m going to see about getting a cell phone�.
Mr. Robinson said he went to South Broward, graduation wasn�t mentioned and I can�t quite guess his age. His stubble is white, and his teeth are few, but he has the manners of a true gentleman.
I was taking my �walk� which I try to do a few times a week after work, around the neighborhood and I ran into Mr. Robinson, not literally, but he was on his bike and he stopped to say hello. Told him we hadn�t seen him, he said he didn�t want to bother us too much. I told him it was no bother, come by and check with us, if we don�t have anything, we�ll just tell him.
Yesterday morning Mr. Robinson stopped by and I said I only had dirty cars but it was about to rain, (and he rides that bike, don�t want him to be in rain and lightening, I gave him a 20 and told him he could come back when the weather was better. Yes maam, yes maam.
Mr. Robinson rang the doorbell today and explained why he didn�t return yesterday afternoon when the weather cleared, he said he had a chance to mow a lawn. I never doubted that he would come back. I got the soap and bucket for him. He is very thin. Sick, malnourished, or just slight in build I�m not sure. I asked him if he had blankets cuz I thought of him when we had that very brief cool spell. He said �Yes maam, I do, but it�s about time I threw them out, yeah it got pretty chilly last week�. I told him next time he comes by I�ll have some for him, it was too hot today to send him off on his bike carrying blankets.
Today my goody bag contained a jar of peanut butter, plastic knives, Ritz Crackers, a can of peaches with a pop top, a yogurt, and a pudding which he would have to eat right away, and again, two turkey sandwiches, with a little bit of mayonaise.
I told him that next Sunday I want to clean the screens in my house, and he could help me with that. A big job, we have lots of windows!!! Explained Saturday was Halloween, so just in case we get tricked, I wanted to wait and do screens on Sunday. His smile, as always was wide and he said �yes maa� I�ll be here.
I gave him another bag that contained a toothbrush, deodorant, shave cream and a disposable razor with two replacement blades, and a bar of soap. It is criminal how much razor blades cost!! I�ve thought of going all natural, NOT. I told him what was in the bag and I wasn�t telling him he needed to shave but if he wants to now he has the equipment. And I told him, I�m not saying you smell bad, I just know how expensive personal items can cost. He laughed and I hope in my heart, he understood. Because he has never offended us with anything, much less body odor. And you know those buy one, get one free deals really help, Thank you Publix.
I feel guilty because there is still a little part of me that wanted him to know that the ONLY reason I was not going to invite him for Thanksgiving is because we are going out of town. We didn�t discuss it but I feel bad for those little lingering feelings of doubt or fear, if you will.
Next weekend when he comes to help me do the screens I am going to invite him for Christmas dinner. How can I not.
New sneakers, new shirt and pants, or maybe a cell phone with the most limited plan, one he can use to keep in touch with his employers and /or family.
Mom, with the combination of your and daddy�s gene pool, I am always a sap when it comes to others less fortunate than I. Why can�t things be fair??!!
Stay tuned for further adventures of Mr. Robinson, My New Friend.
