Sparks in the Dark 01
Hello there [waves], I'm Todd and I'm 21 (20 ++) and I'm stuck in the middle right now because in my family, if you're too young to use tools, then you get a free pass and if you have a growing beer belly, then you get a free pass, but if you have guns like mine [shows those guns], then you're volunteered to perform tasks.
And usually, it's not that bad because if you play the "but I've never done that before" card, you can keep the local handyman businesses in business. But the problem is that I've set up my Auntie Caity's backyard several times for her annual 4th of July family and friends Tiki Torch party, so, I couldn't even deal from the bottom of the deck for this year's backyard setup.
And before you go judging me over pounding in a few Tiki Torch posts into the ground, yeah, attend one of my Auntie Caity's parties first. And bring a calculator that goes up to a bazillion because if there is a privacy fence post, then there is a Tiki Torch just in front of it and her entire backyard is fenced in.
But I got smart this year [points to head], with Auntie Caity's help, of course, because she moved up to the 21st century and actually purchased battery powered LED Tiki Torches. And they flicker too. And if you're wondering how that helped me, well, well, well, one trip to the local garden center, 42 privacy fence post hooks, 42 miniature c-clamps and boom, no Tiki Torch posts to pound [points to head again].
And then, even to my surprise, SOB, it worked! And the square looped fence post hooks even gave the LED Tiki Torches a slight tilt forward. Well, the first one did anyways because as always (chuckles), some assembly was required, but that's what they make garage work benches for, right? But once I had assembled a few of them, I had the assembly process down pat and who knew that I hummed to my playlist while I work, right? Well, I might have whistled a little bit too.
"[Hum, hum, do da, hum, insert four batteries, do da, hum, line up the torch base tab with the hook, hum, do da, screw the c-clamp tight, hum, do da, wiggle, flick the switch on, flickering LED's, check, do da, flick the switch off, do da, another one done!] Ugh, just another gazillion more to go and the evening shadows are starting to get long."
Um, sure, I should have started this project yesterday, but that's not important right now because what's important is that when I deliver your hot and ready to eat food order, I do not touch your food or steal a few fries.
[Vroom, rev, vroom, creeps quietly into driveway, parks it and shuffles towards the open garage]
"Todd? Is that you, Todd?"
"[Hum, do da, insert four batteries do da, line up...] oh, oh, Mrs. Baxter, um, yeah, it's me, Todd, Todd the assembly guy. And um, you're a little early for the party, Mrs. Baxter, so?"
"(Giggles) well, as I was driving by, I noticed that Caity's garage door was open and um, well, it's not like I stopped by to peek into the garage refrigerator because that's where your auntie keeps the good stuff wine coolers or anything, Todd, so."
[Opens the garage refrigerator and peeks inside for the good stuff and mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, it's packed with the good stuff]
"Well, I saw what I came to see [eyes scan the assembly guy], mm-hmm, two different ways, Todd, so, um, what's all this that I see, hmm? Other than about a bazillion 21st century Tiki Torches, that is, so?"
"Well, you know my auntie, Mrs. Baxter, if it's not a gazillion, then it had better be at least a bazillion (chuckles), right?"
"Well, that woman does like things over the top, but who cares just as long as the good stuff is out of sight of the masses (giggles), so the masses get their cocktails from the coolers, so, ahem, um, I guess I'll be on my way to shower up and then hope to see you tonight, right, Todd?"
"Oh, I'm going to bounce in just after dark to make sure these Tiki Torches light up my aunties backyard the way I think they are, and then, you know, split. Or (chuckles) I'll still be here assembling all of these contraptions (chuckles) since the sunlight is already started to diminish. But before you go, Mrs. Baxter, do women sometimes wear a front clasping bra to an evening Tiki Torch party, huh? Um, I'm asking for a friend, so?"
[Opens the frig and snags a good stuff wine cooler, twist, gentle fizz, sip, gulp]
"Todd, I mean, sometimes a woman wears a front clasp bra for the comfort and sometimes for the ease of getting it on and off and even sometimes because a woman just likes the style of a front clasping bra and there's always the time when a woman wears a front closing bra because she wants her man to be able to fast attack her boobs, so, I'm not sure what to tell, you know, your friend [sip, sip, sip], so?"
"Oh, um, well, Mrs. Baxter, I think that I'll tell my good friend that there's a 50-50 chance that least one woman will be wearing a fast attack front clasping bra tonight, so, um, I should get back to my assembly process, so, um, okay then, Mrs. Baxter."
"[Sip, gulp, sip] well, you might also want to mention to your good friend that a family and friends party always, always, always includes, you know, family members, like your friend's mother, Todd!"
"[Assemble, assemble, assemble] And I believe the yellow light is in between the green light and the red light, Mrs. Baxter, so, I might be inclined to tell my friend to run the yellow light to beat the red light, so, um, how am I doing in terms of traffic safety, huh, Mrs. Baxter?"
"[Sip, sip, stares blankly] hmm (drats, those are the exact same traffic laws that I used as a cheerleader back in the day!) [Sip, sip] Todd, do not and I repeat, do not do anything stupid tonight [gulp, gulp, sip], so?"
"[Assemble, assemble, assemble] oh, Mrs. Baxter, is anything really stupid if it happens out of sight, huh?"
"[Chug, gulp, slurp] OMFG, Todd, do not try to pop one of my boobs out tonight! We'll get caught!"
Well, well, well, talk about a long yellow light, right my peeps? That was neither a "yay" or a "nay" or a slap in the face! Well, Mrs. Baxter didn't slap my friend in the face because he's the one who is horny for Mrs. Baxter, tee he.
[The garage side door creaks open and surprise, you're almost caught]
"Ooh, Brenda, Brenda Baxter, my girl! I'm so glad that you stopped by to, ahem, snag one of the good wine coolers early, but OMG, it's Friday the 4th, even though it's technically the 5th and OMG, that makes it freaky Friday and the frisky sales girl down at the Sexy Bra Shop on the Strip fast talked me into purchasing a front snap bra and that, OMG, makes it frisky and freaky Friday because, OMG, men love their frisky freaky Friday fast attacks for their titties gropes and it can't be a Tiki Torch party without a little, OMG, fast attack on our [oops, spies someone else in the garage], oh, oops, oh snap (giggles), um, nephew Todd, I didn't see you working there, nephew, so, um, awkward."
LOL, the power of earbuds, right?
"[Slowly removes playlist hum along earbuds like he heard nothing] what, oh, Auntie Caity, I didn't hear you enter the garage. Or anything that you may or may not have said, um, I need to get back to my back breaking assembly work, so? Oh, did you pick up another large sized box of batteries, Auntie because each Tiki Torch uses four batteries each instead of two like you thought, so?"
"[Whew, wipes brow] um, well, why do you think I was shopping for anyways, dearest nephew [whew], hmm? Ta da [whips out a three pack of front clasping bras], oops, those are not the extra batteries [whips out a package that has quite the pictorial advertisement on the cover], oops, tee he, I mean, that sales girl, right? I only asked to peek at their latest line of something or other and she, tee he, stuffs a Peek-A-Boo bra in my bag, so, [tries the package whipping out thing again], there sweetie, a bazillion extra batteries! And, and, and, be sure to let your favorite auntie know where you stash the leftover batteries, okay, Todd? Also, stash them right here in my garden equipment garage cabinet and shut it after that! And I mean shut your mouth! Well, shut the cabinet door too, I suppose, so."
By the way, if you're searching Chang for my auntie right now and you come across Quiet Caity, that's not her. Try Squeaky Caity, but she's married. Like four or five days a week.
[Todd reinserts the earbuds that actually do allow other sounds to be heard]
"[Glug, glug, glug, ahh] well, I've had more than I can handle for one afternoon and I need to get home for my shower, so, um, well, Caity, why don't you go inside of your house and put your party lingerie away or on and since Todd just put his earbuds back in and he can't hear anything, I mean, I'll just tap him on his shoulder to say my goodbye, so?"
"OMG, I'm going to get my annual groping tonight and OMG, this year I'm going to check to see who my naughty 'sparks in the dark' man is first, OMG, so I don't repeat the last six years of mistakes, eek!"
You know, sound equipment designers, what's the harm with actually designing earbuds that block out everything but my playlist, huh?
"[Tries to snuggle up to Mrs. Baxter, but she backs off] are you stopping by any shops on the Strip on your way home to shower, Mrs. Baxter? And my friend would be over the full moon for a photo or two of your shower full-moon because that's crying material, so?"
"[One step backwards and huh, two steps forward] ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, Todd, we're just talking here [fast attack lip smack], so don't go getting ahead of things [peck smack, quick tongue tip tease, smack]. And I wouldn't know how to take a shower selfie through my shower glass doors anyways, especially of my shower wet bare booty, so your friend might be out of luck, you know, again, so?"