Seven years ago we moved into our new house in a new development. Mary and Jay lived across the street and had moved in a couple of months before us. They didn't have any kids, so they didn't fall into the same social ring we did, PTA, little league, and all those other things the world comes up for parents to participate in to support their children. Mary was in her late twenties and Jay had already crossed forty but they were friendly and got along with everyone.
Mary was good looking in her own way, not any beauty queen, but always smiling and friendly. She was five foot seven and weighed 130 to 140 pounds. She worked the first several years they lived there and so we saw very little of them. Then Mary quit her job and stayed home full time. They started taking in foster kids from time to time and Mary worked hard on her garden and yard. At the same time she started to put on weight. She was now up to about 180 to 190.
She had talked to me in the spring and said how much she liked the Irises I had in bloom; I told her that when I thinned them out I would bring her some. So I had taken the day off and was doing yard work all morning. I had thinned the Irises out and had some wrapped in newspaper when I knocked on Mary's door.
"Come in," I heard a soft voice call from inside.
"I am really dirty and don't want to mess-up your house Mary," I replied.
"Don't worry about it, I am back in the kitchen." So I took off my dirty tennis shoes and padded down the linoleum hall to the kitchen. Mary had just finished loading her dishwasher and was drying her hands as I entered the large eat-in kitchen. "Here are the cuttings I promised you," I said as I handed her the bundle wrapped in newspaper.
"OH, thank you so much, I'll plant them this afternoon," Mary said as she took the bundle and placed it on the counter behind her. Then as she turned back to me her voice changed to a more serious tone and she said, "Tom, do you think I am attractive?"