Achy Breaky Parts

Our hero Hick has been under the weather. At least for a day, on Thursday. He said his joints ached, and he was tired. He seemed to think it was the snow and rain moving in for Friday morning. I asked if he'd changed any medications, or forgotten to take some. He had not. I suggested that it might be from helping an old friend move on Tuesday. You know how extra physical exertion really hits you two days later, when your muscles get all stiffened up. Hick DID say he had carried a headboard out of the attic of a church. Yes, I'm dying for the details, but I'm not sure I want to know.

Anyhoo...I didn't know of Hick's ailments until I came home from town. I'd been to Save A Lot instead of my regular Walmart shopping spree. So there weren't quite as many groceries to carry in. Still, I had two heavy boxes. I stopped T-Hoe in the driveway to text Hick. Can't call from the garage since Hick had that metal roof put on. And he can't receive calls in the BARn. We'd be better off with two tin cans and some twine, rather than Sprint.

Anyhoo...I knew Hick was in the BARn, because I'd seen SilverRedO parked in front. When he's home, Hick will help carry in groceries. I figured he'd hop in SilverRedO, drive over to the house, and take the Gator back over. Imagine my surprise when Hick came huffing and puffing through the people-door of the garage.

"Whew! I hope I can make it back over there! My legs wanted to give out!"

Hick only had two trips from garage to kitchen. I carried some soda and a lighter box to the side porch, so he didn't have to keep going up and down the steps. On the last trip, I said

"I didn't know you were going to walk! Why don't you take the Gator back over there?"

"Because, Val, then I'll have the Gator AND the truck at the BARn. I can't drive them both back."

"In the morning, you could drive the Gator back over there to get the truck to go to town. By the time you get back home, you might feel like walking back to the BARn after you park the truck under the carport."

"No. The battery is bad. The Gator won't work in the cold. I need a new one."

Of course he does...

"Here. Get in T-Hoe, and I'll drive you back over."

"No. I can walk."

"Why? I know what it's like for your legs to hurt. It'll only take a minute. Get in."

"No. I can do it."

"GET IN! You drop me off at the casino doors. I can drive you to the BARn!"

Finally Hick got in. We had to take the long way, up the driveway, cross by the deep sinkhole, and down the BARn field. The short route, along Shackytown Boulevard, was prohibited, because the front yard was too mushy for T-Hoe's tonnage.

Hick puttered around in the BARn for a couple hours, then came back to the house in SilverRedO, and mixed himself a Jack and Diet Coke in a red solo cup. I'm pretty sure his pain went away. At least temporarily.

The good news is, for my trouble, Even Steven rewarded me with a $100 scratcher win.

That's the back side. Imagine if somebody didn't pay attention, and forgot to scratch the back! I'm pretty sure the lottery people have thought about that, too...

The front of the ticket looked like this. I didn't want you to blow a brain fuse trying to find the winning numbers. There aren't any, since the winner was on the back.

Yes, on Thursday, Hick was under the weather, and I was over the moon. When I showed him my winner, Hick said wistfully,

"I wish I could win a hundred dollars."

Sorry. There are limits to my helpfulness.