The phone sounded. I picked up. It was Carl once more. Carl does this throughout the week, every week. Someone should break that dude's phone. He says "Welcome." He says that followed by complete silence. Carl does this a lot.

We-Carl. others less likely to call-live in a close-knit neighborhood. We all know one another and Carl considers this closeness, this fate nearness is reason to take control of communication as if he's the most diminutive Stalin ever.

Filling in the dead space I asking why he had called. Carl tells me to come over to his house so I could see it for myself. Ok, Carl, following an exhaustive list of excuses. Carl is good at this. If Carl is good at one thing, that thing is unfurling

Carl's accommodations are about as loud as Carl. Celebrating the beginning of spring he's displaying a giant, inflatable flower. Gaudy, swaying, it greets me as I head towards his porch. Carl opens the door before I am able to knock. He has an ear-to-ear smile. He leads me by the crux of my elbow back out to the front yard. Carl looks up. I look up. I wonder why. I wait.

"Notice anything different?" he asks. Nope. "I installed a gutter cover." Wow. "I love it". He tells me the seamless gutter cover prevents debris from building up, which limits the amount of cleaning service I have to provide." For once, Carl's idea was actually helpful.