POOOOOOR Mr. Husband, he worked all day long yesterday. This house is sixty years old so it is crooked on the inside (adds character) and crooked on the outside (makes water drain badly).

All day I could see him outside the kitchen window, scrubbing away at the cement. Then he got all of the appropriate tools out, and hauled about a dozen bags of dry cement. Those bitches are heavy, man- you ever pick one up? They’re about as big as a smallish pillow, but they weigh eighty pounds! When it was sunny and warm in the afternoon I helped him haul bags too. He would dump a bag in the wheelbarrow and add a gallon of water, which would produce an even heavier substance. While Franny played with her ball on the back patio, I watched him sweat and his biceps strain.

“Ugh,” he said. “I bet guys who do this all the time are seriously buff. I shoulda rented a mixer.”

The sun was setting as he ran the trowel over the now-smooth surface of the cement. By the porchlight I could see through the “cream” floating on top to the sand and lighter grit underneath; it was like being at the very edge of the seashore and peering through to the sand below.

It was dark. Franny was playing with a little hand broom and he was setting a tarp up over the works in case it rained.

“I’ve got to go rinse these tools off.”

“Okay”

He disappeared around the corner to where the hose is- this was what I’d been waiting for. I rooted around in my pocket and pulled out all my coins…aha, a beautiful shiny nickel. I could see in the porchlight that it said 1998. I leaned out over the wet cement, and gently pressed it in, heads up.

“What are you doing? Did you write your name?”

“No, I…erm…”

“Let me see…A nickel! What is wrong with you woman? I worked on this ALL DAY LONG!”

“Uh, well, you know, it’s the funniest joke ever. Think about it.” I touched his arm. “Everytime someone comes over…”

“I know,” he said crossly. “They will try to pick it up.” He sighed and started to put the wheelbarrow away. I walked Franny into the house and he said to my back, “Sometimes you’re more trouble than you’re worth.” Then he laughed.