from Gene’s Notebook

…and I stop to ask the house painter’s wife if her husband needs a helper. I’m looking for a job for a friend.

She says that he might.

She tells me to leave my phone number.

I have a pen but no paper.

She puts her hand out and tells me to write my seven digits on her palm.

I do just that but I smudge the final number, a six.

She tells me that is no problem, and she puts her hand out again and tells me to complete the circle at the bottom of the six to make it clear that it is a six.

I do just that.

She goes back into her yard, and continues to hang clothes.

I wonder if the numbers will fade.

Her huband hasn’t called, yet.

Eugene “Gene” Novogrodsky
January 19, 2010