You're Gonna Love My Work

YOU'RE GONNA LOVE MY WORK

Springfield, PA

2001

By the time he got to my house, it was dark, after dinner and we were both tired from working all day.  But Thursday evening is the only time we could meet.  I want the kitchen linoleum ripped up and replaced with 12X12” tile.  The space is only 8”X16” so it is not really a big job.

“Dude”, he tells me. “I can do this. Yea, I can get this done.  And it will be perfect. I’m an artist and you are gonna  love my work.  Do you want to see some of my artwork?  I have it. With me. I can show you”

I don’t want to be judgmental, but I just want 160 tiles placed in straight lines on my floor.  But maybe he does design work that may interest me.

“OK, let’s take a look”, I tell him a little half-heartedly.

With that, he turns his back to me and takes off his shirt and reveals a tattoo on his left shoulder. “That’s my son, Josh”, he proudly tells me.  “  I drew this sketch myself.” Then he turns and shows me his daughter on his stomach. “That’s Lilly, she’s five now. I drew her too.  What do you think?”

I am sort of speechless because I don’t know where this conversation is going.

 “Are you going to have any more kids, because you’re running out of body space”, I tell him.

“Naw, I’m finished but really I didn’t plan on either of these kids.  So who knows, right?  But I love them.”

“How about their mother. Does she rate a place?”

“Naw, we aint together no more. I’m not really in to them two anymore”. He tells me unabashed. “But I got my dogs that I love too.  Maybe I’m goingt to put them on me too”. He pulls out two drawling of two German shepherds.  “But I’m thinking Ill have too many dogs on me by the time imp 40,” he laughs.

I laugh too but I don’t relay think this is too funny.  It’s more creepy to me, quite honestly.

“When can you start “, I ask him, trying to bring him back to task.

“When do you want me to start? It won’t take long; it’s not a big space. I could pump it out in a morning.  You could go to work and by the time you got home for dinner, it would be done and dry, ready for you to walk on it.”

“Any chance you could do it tomorrow?”

“Naw, I have a few jobs I have to finish up first. How about Monday?

“Yes, Monday is good”, I tell him.

“OK, let me see how much I get done tomorrow and then I’ll see if I can make it on Monday.  If not, then Tuesday. But I’m sure it won’t be no later than Wednesday”, he says with a tome of firm commitment.

He doesn’t start for another week and it takes him more than two weeks to finish this small project.