No Shortage of Men

I woke late.  So, too, did the rest of the house.  I didn’t get to have my cup of coffee with Frank... hate that...  I didn’t get to start the day with a snuggle-hug and chit-chat from my Cherub... hate that... I didn’t get to see Mini-man for breakfast, other than what he ate during our hasty ride to school... hate that too... 

Cherub was successfully dropped off at the gate.  Normally I wait to watch her walk through the front doors of the school, but not this morning.  Mini-man was late and we needed to keep moving.  I drove, though my mind was having a brain cramp, “Geez, I can’t even remember where I’m going...”  {coffee, I need my coffee}  Mini-man just laughed at me, “School, Mom.  The High School...”  {Yup... it was that kind of morning...}

I rounded the corner to come upon a crowd of men walking from the bus stop.  They struck me, as there were so many and they were all clearly together, and on a mission... also unmissable was the physical similarities.  They were all rather short.  Granted most people are by my estimate.  Being 5’10” has frequently put me in a position to view everyone as ‘vertically challenged’... {Except my son, who now looks me eye-to-eye... okay... maybe he even looks a little down at his mother. ;}

“Wow, look at all those men.  They’re all the same height.  Isn’t that amazing?! Look at how short they all are...”

I meant, and mean, no offense... Seriously, one couldn’t help but notice.  Mini-man nodded his head, “Yeah.  It’s because it’s too hot in Mexico.”

{Uh... ?  Okay, coffee or no coffee... this threw me...}

“What?”

He shook his head to confirm that I heard him right.

{Okay... I’ll bite...}  “You think they are all short because of the hot weather in Mexico?”

“Well, Yeah. {insert duh-what-are-you-stupid? face}  If you’re tall, your head is a lot closer to the sun.”

{Okay... now I can’t drive... or breathe... cause I am LAUGHING too hard...}

“So... you think it was an adaptation, survival of the fittest thing...?”

Knowing my son - aka Mr. Logical - I knew there would be a viable explanation to back up his comment.  Without skipping a beat he clarified, “Yeah.  You can’t be tall in Mexico... your head just fries up and you die...all the tall people probably died off years ago.”

He wriggled his fingers, as his hands haloed around his head... “I bet if you go there you’ll find a bunch of people just laying on the side of the street...”

Had I not been laughing so hard, I might have informed my dear boy about siesta’s and big sombrero hat’s... but we were out of time... 

Needless to say, our morning drive was entertaining.

It took me a little while to regroup from this mass exodus...  but I managed.  ;)

Now just to add to this little story... I was upstairs working on the computer, when Toots alerted me to someone at the front door.  On my porch stood a Mexican man asking if I was interested in lawn care services.  “We can clean up your yard, rake all the grass, get rid of all the leaves, fertilize, seed, mulch...”  He went on until I couldn’t refuse.  He was hugely polite and professional... even helped me move some heavy planters and a potted tree.  We walked the yard as I pointed out what I wanted done... and what I didn’t want done... (Last year the gardeners ripped out my flowering vine and over 'trimmed' a flowering bush that I had been trying to grow ~ argh.)  Within minutes, my house was surrounded by mighty men... a whirling dervish of short men... {I dare not go outside, as I towered over all of them.}  My house disappeared into a cloud of dirt, dust and leaves.  When it emerged from their self created tornado, I must say I was pleased.  What an awesome job!

I started my day with humor thanks to one group of men... and ended my day with a giant smile thanks to yet another group of men... What a wonderful way to bookend the day.