The couple stopped to see

the trailer – actually more

like announced their presence

by assertively invading our

space halting only at the sight

and bark of the big, brown

bear of a dog on a very long

leash while I sat with my feet

up, cracking pistachio nuts and

popping them into the dog’s

drooling mouth and my wife

leisurely sauntered her way

through a Sudoku on an other-

wise quiet summer afternoon

at the campground. I said, “The

dog’s nice. Want to see the

cute egg-shaped trailer?” We get

this a lot – people wanting to see

the cute, egg-shaped travel trailer.

“Does it come in brown?” They

jumped in and that is when the

raised eyebrows and glances down

the bridge of their noses began.

They had sold their big, beautiful

fifth-wheel and diesel Ford F-Two-

Fifty.  For whatever reason, he

inserted “diesel.” They were look-

ing for something “a little smaller.”

They had used the rig for mission

trips, but now the  mission provided

housing. The woman insisted on

telling us all about the mission trips.

They belonged to a Bible church

and had all the answers about eternity

not to mention everything on this

side, too. He sneered when I told

him the cost in answer to his quest-

ion and said derisively in the guise

of a question, “That much for this?”

The wife went on some more about

all their good deeds and they took

their leave as abruptly as they had

made their entrance. Back about

an eternity before, when the dog

had barked, I should have whisper-

ed in ear-shot, “Sic ‘Em, Bear.”  He

wouldn’t have, but that may have

been the only thing they didn’t know. 

My wife sighed, “Ah, hind-sight,”

and went back to her puzzle.