All Day Long

All day long, from the sun climbing into the sky to its last light. All day long and only a 3ft x 4ft patch of filtered dirt to show for it.

Bill wandered over from across the street, his orange hunting cap glowing in the half-light. He had been moving furniture.

I apologized for not helping, starting to explain my aching back. It has hurt lately, and his description of that TV didn't sound promising.

I planted a tomato plant, I said as a way to kind of change the subject. I pointed to the side of the house.

Oh, he said in an surprisingly interested voice, Let's see.

I didn't expect that. So he limped on his bad ankle, and I limped from my sore back. We limped over the the side of the house where the mass of tools lay strewn upon the ground.

I pointed to a patch of brown dirt on the other side of the compressor -- brown dirt and one green tomato plant sitting in a damp depression. I wasn't sure what to expect from Bill.

Wow! he said. You filtered all that dirt!?

All day long, from the sun climbing into the sky to its last light.

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