Father Flattery

Father Flattery is this guy that I see occasionally; seen awkwardly at times.  Then a void will pass before he suddenly pops back into my life.  His most recent visitation was two weeks ago while I was working in the yard and looked up to see him standing on my front porch. He’s a small figure of a man, full of energy going off in different directions, his grin infectious.

I was honing my skills in using the week fork which is a sharpened V-shaped metal tip mounted to a three foot wooden handle, the right length for prying up those most stubborn weeds.  I had mounded up a large pile of weeds from the Bermuda when I happened to look up and see Flattery standing on the porch, leaning on the wooden colonial rail.  He’d been watching me for how long I don’t know but he was waiting for the look.  That’s when he made his move and stepping off the porch he made his way carefully down the steep driveway.

I can’t say that I blame him for standing on the porch, in the shade, because one look at my sweat covered face and clothes would give a normal person pause about coming out into the direct sun.  Flattery was now standing beside me and motioning for a turn with the weed fork, I handed the tool over to him and stepped back to watch.  Carefully and with two hands just as he had seen me wield the instrument he dug into the Bermuda, pushing the sharp tip into a green mass.  Then stooping over while holding the handle with his left hand he reached with his right near the metal prongs and pulled up a small patch of grass.  It was not weeds mind you, it was grass. 

I stood there, sweating, watching, returning Flattery’s smile as he turned his face to look over his shoulder at me with an expectant look.  The sound he made could be audible to anyone but only translated by me into the statement which he was making…”See dad, I can do it too.”

I am sometimes desperate for Father Flattery to show up but then sometimes I see him even when I’m not looking for him.  I think his message to me is to be expectant.  I wonder what Father Flattery’s message to you might be?