Chicken & Ribs

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First day into the Labor Day Weekend.

“I’m cooking chicken and ribs. The pool is open.”

Jim’s text was short.

My day was open because much to my aggravation, everyone else was scheduled to work.

Can’t make plans!

As luck might have it, my back was tight. Real tight. I wanted to clean my car, get my haircut, grab some groceries.

By noon, I was on ice.

But chicken and ribs in the grill is hard to pass up.

I headed out.

Pissed that I didn’t do what I wanted to do.

By the time I got home I’d laughed hard with my brothers, sister, Mom, and many others.

My stomach was filled with ribs.

I had a bag of veggies from Jim’s garden.

A take-home plate for Kathy...

...and I got my haircut!

Better than if I’d gone to Super Cuts.

“Holy shit,” Jim said. “A meal, a haircut and a take-home bag.”

“Like a homeless dude,” Chuck said. “Didn’t even have to listen to a religious service.”

A beautiful summer day.

Hell, my back even felt a little better.


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