You must be Joe!

To: YaGoof!
From: Linda

It was the first summer in our new home, and I had arranged for a number of things to be done on the same day. The cupboard installers were to make some adjustments and some men were coming to remove a diseased tree from the back yard.

The tree crew arrived first, and I showed them what we needed. During some rain, we gathered on the porch, and I noticed a young man sitting in their truck. I learned that he was their brother (call him Joe), who had been in a motorcycle accident and suffered brain injury. A little later, they were going to take him to therapy. I offered to have him come into the house, but they politely declined.

The rain let up, the tree men went back to work, and I went back inside. Our family was eating lunch when the doorbell rang. I opened the door to find a sweet-faced young man with blond hair. He stood there for a moment without speaking, and I said, "Oh, you must be Joe! Do you need to go to the bathroom? I'll show you where it is." Being the special ed teacher that I am, I took him by the hand and led him to the kitchen, where I introduced my husband and our five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. I used my very best special ed voice to say "This is Carl ... This is Steve ... This is Amy." Then I pointed him to the powder room and showed him how to turn on the light.

That's when he turned to me and said, "Lady, I'm here to fix your cupboards."

I have to hand it to Carl for holding it in during lunch. We ate without a word as "Joe" did his work. But after he left, oh did we howl!

Another time, I'll email with the story of the apple sticker on my chin.

Linda, Ya Goof!