Company Came
The ritual cleaning for company came to me courtesy of my late wife. The notice of coming guests triggered, depending upon the season, a spate of yard work to prepare the lawns and gardens, followed by the cleaning and organizing of the interior. Nothing could be left to chance. We dusted, we vacuumed, we wiped things down. Primarily, I was the keeper of the exterior, but military service and being the oldest son of a mother of four boys who thought her sons needed to do chores, uniquely qualified me for interior cleaning as well.
Generally speaking, between the two of us, I thought we kept a nice house, but with guests you couldn’t be too careful. Things had to be just right. And this was true regardless of the guests, new friends or friends of longstanding. My wife wanted things just so, and I helped make it happen. Which is why this morning I could look out on a tidy yard and house and think how nice it looked after having had company last night. Two good friends came for dinner, drinks, and conversation. It was an evening well spent.
I’m still learning the ropes as a solo entertainer. The dance of couples has a different vibe when there’s only three. For instance, my wife was the food and beverage coordinator. Luckily, the friends who came last night came prepared with food and beverage, so we had a great evening. But I plan on continuing my entertaining efforts because company helps keep a house alive and make it a home. The laughter, love, and energy of the guests covers the rooms with a fine patina. So that even today I can feel the currents of everyone who has graced our doors over the years, and have them to love even when there’s no one near.