Sunday, July 20, 2008

Dear Sidewalk



Dear Sidewalk,

Why did you have to be so difficult? Why couldn’t you have made it easy on both of us and just gone quietly? It was time to go, really it was. You were worn and cracked and making the new brick porch look bad. So why all the hassle?

I know you thought you could stay forever. Sometimes, I thought you would stay forever, stubborn as you were. I almost gave in. Almost. But, you probably didn’t know this about me: I’m a stubborn summab*tch, too. I kept coming back. The difference was I just kept bringing more tools until finally, I brought enough.

You were a worthy adversary, Sidewalk. You challenged me physically, mentally, and spiritually. Near 100-degree heat is not the day to take you on, but Mother Nature was clearly trying to protect you. She gave me rain to keep me from you and skyrocketing temperatures to dissuade me. I’ll admit, you did beat the crap out of me. But you did not break me. (Except for, well, maybe my hands, knees and wrists. But they’ll all be fine eventually.)

And while my Plan B didn’t work as I’d envisioned, your resolve slowly broke. You started giving up in bigger chunks, leaving less mess.

I know you’ve been here for nearly 70 years. My hat’s off to your amazing staying power. I respect your stamina and your strength. You took many opportunities to remind me of this, particularly when you forced me off balance and slammed me onto my tailbone or backside a few times. But, I’ll bet you didn’t think I’d get up. Oh, you were so wrong!

You see, I’ve got a stubborn streak a mile wide. Normally, it is not considered a virtue. In your case though, it was among my greatest assets.

I want to thank you for helping to tone my upper body. Beating you down and then picking you up has given me definition this body hasn’t seen since my 20s. I owe you for that. And your demise has elicited several unsolicited compliments from passersby who can’t help but ask what I’m doing next. Like the guy walking back from the library. The mailman. The girl walking her dog. That’s all encouraging.

So now you lay at the back of the property line, awaiting your next adventure. We kind of like you there. Perhaps you won’t leave after all. Maybe you’ll become a fountain, a small wall, or a flagstone-like path in the backyard.

It might be nice to keep you here after all. But, whether you stay or go is immaterial right now. The important thing is that you are now out of my way. Game off. I win!

10 comments:

Ann said...

Love it! It's like you've been trying to break up him forEVER, yet he just won't leave - but you prevailed, as always. Your determination is staggering. I'd bet you are one THE most loyal friends EVER.

Btw, love the new pics on the sidebar of the furbabies. The look on Tigger's face? I would just paste a pic of that on various windows of the house and save the money for an alarm system. PRICELESS!

MonkeyGirl said...

All hail the conquering heroine! Your determination is amazing. I was enjoying the heat in your neighborhood yesterday and I was whining about having to get up out of my lawn chair to get another frosty cold adult beverage- geez I feel like a wimp!!

Why S? said...

Congratulations on your triumph. I'm sure he'll understand once he's reincarnated into a fountain, wall or path. Change is tough for all of us.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm anxious to see your next victory.

Anonymous said...

Woo hoo! Congrats!!! Take THAT, Sidewalk!

NV said...

Ann -- Thanks! I'm flattered. I would beat a sidewalk to death for one of my friends -- even in 95-degree heat! Glad you like the pix. And poor Tig. He is SUCH a pretty cat, really. Gorgeous eyes. He just isn't happy with the camera in his face (a lot like his keeper.)

MG -- Thanks. You know me. The more PO'd I get, the more determined I am. And I was in YOUR neighborhood yesterday (at Harbor Freight).

Why -- Thanks! We're seriously talking about doing something with the stones instead of having them carted away.

Jen -- Thanks. Yeah, I said that A LOT yesterday! :-) Sometimes, the sidewalk said it right back.

Anonymous said...

Awesome work! I need some of that determination right now.

Can't see what it's going to look like next!

Jayne said...

Good grief! You worked your butt off! So are you gonna continue the brickwork out from the porch, or what's your plan? Can't wait to see.

NV said...

V and Jayne -- Yes. The brickwork is extending onto the walkway. If the sidewalk hadn't been cracked all the way across in several places, I'd have used it as a base. But, considering the damage, I decided it was best to just start over rather than risk having to fix or replace bricks in another few years. the prep work is outrageous, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

Ty'sMommy said...

As my teenage niece would say, "WOOT WOOT!"
Absolutely awesome, NV! I have to say, you helped my motivation to keep slavig away o my bathroom this weekend. I just couldn't come back on Monday and not be able to blog a finished project, knowing full well that you would have beat the crap out of yours. Way to go!!

Michael said...

Concrete is dead - long live concrete!