The New Guy; My neighbour

Chapter 23 - Wild Goose Chase

Trevor left Ashley's house and walked speedily to his Mercedes, which was parked prominently on one side of the street. The refined vehicle blinkered as soon as the key sensor was near enough. He pushed open the door and entered, and the door slammed back smoothly and clicked shut. He sat still for a while in the plush leather seat, pondering how Ashley became involved with such a vile-tempered man. He turned the ignition on and began to drive slowly to his house. The premium air freshener in the car unpleasantly tickled his nostrils, seemingly doing the opposite of what it was supposed to. It wasn't long before he drove into the garage and walked towards the house, saving himself from the slight headache that would have resulted from inhaling the air freshener any longer.

As he approached the house, he detected the scent of freshly cut leaves. It was obvious that Mister Straps, their gardener, who took great pleasure in his work, had tended to the flowers countless times in a row for the week. He took a closer look around to see if he could spot the bald Mister Straps. Mister Straps was bursting with excitement the other day as he told them his wife had given birth. He didn't have to look long before spotting the short, funny man, scythe in hand, mowing the engineered lawn. He was thrilled to see Trevor, and he waved happily. Trevor enjoyed chatting with Mister Straps whenever he was less busy and needed to get some fresh air outside the house. Mister Straps was a well-traveled Italian man and a radiant storyteller. He took pride in describing to Trevor how he cares for his valuable winter-thriving flowers and how he manages to keep them alive regardless of the weather. Mister Straps continued to smile widely, revealing the age-related gaps in his teeth. He lowered the scythe and moved closer to Trevor.

"Hey, Mister Straps," Trevor hollered with a pleasant grin.

"How are you doing this evening?"

"Very well. I can't complain," Mister Straps responded with his tinged accent.

"That's great."

"Bless you, Mister. I've been looking every minute to see if I could catch a glimpse of you."

"And why is that?" Trevor asked with keen interest.

"May the almighty bless your heart's generosity. When I told my wife that you had included something in my paycheck for the baby, she danced around our little house. I am here to send you the blessings she has showered you with," Mr Straps replied with glee.

"Mister Straps, Katie has already conveyed your gratitude to me. That, I believe, should suffice."

"No no no. There is never too much gratitude where I come from, even for the smallest of things. Even though you have an abundance of everything you need, you still need prayers to keep your spirit safe. And that is the only way I can appreciate your generosity."

"I understand it now. Easy on me, Mister Straps. Thank you for the prayers. I hope we are good."

"We never quarreled either," Said Mister Straps jokingly. A humorous reply to Trevor's statement, taken at face value.

"Come on, Mister Straps, that's not what I mean."

"I know what you meant, Mister. I believe you know when to take a joke from Mister Straps," Mister Straps giggled.

"Aha. I can see your winter-proof flowers are doing so well."

"Of course. And, I made a list of items that I would need in the storage and gave it to Mister Hull. I do not want to run short of any."

"Good. I hope your baby is growing by leaps and bounds."

"He eats a lot, so he is growing well. My food store has plummeted since he was born, but he is a lovely little boy. It is the joy in it."