Settin' Step

I am a "setter". From the time I was old enough to stay out past the street lights coming on you would likely find me settin' on the front porch steps of my parents house staring at the night sky. Daydreaming away the end of the day, while looking up at the stars through the big pine branches that partially covered the sidewalk.

Each place I have lived that was really home to me had a settin' step. A quiet place of my own to watch the world go by, or in some cases hide away from it. I can see myself as an old woman, settin' on my front porch watching the neighborhood kids play, the birds flit around, or just enjoying the quiet of my garden growing. That's how I hope it will be anyway.

The four plex I live in now has huge cement front steps that are perfect for settin'. It's also a shady afternoon spot, so sometimes you will even find me settin' on them reading a book. I have comfy chairs in the backyard, but the porch steps always seem to be my choice.

When Sam (the dog) spent more time in town with me she and I would sit in the mornings on the steps and watch the dogs and their owners prance around the neighborhood. I don't even have to put Sam on a tether to do it, she's that well trained. (for which I take no credit) In the afternoons we would sit in the shade and enjoy a breeze, and at night we would sit in the dark and wait for Leon to come home from work, or the races. Seems she's a "setter" too, although she's a shepherd mix.

Just last night a little before ten Leon called to tell me to look at "your full moon". We had noticed it while walking the night before big and yellow rising in the country sky. "Walk out your front door and you'll see it." There it was, peeking over the four plex across the street on the corner, so I set awhile, talking with him and watching the bright yellow moon rise.

I have lived in a couple of places that I never really cared for. My first two apartments, and the mobile home in Homecroft. I really never felt any of these places were my home, or somewhere I belonged. For whatever reason I could not find a comfortable settin' step at any of them. Homecroft even had two decks, but it didn't matter. It's more than a step, it's also the view. Perhaps quite possibly the company has something to do with it too.

I don't know how he knows these things, but this weekend Leon fixed the back steps and made me a "settin' step". We've never discussed my need for a place like that, he just wanted to make the giant steps a little easier for these short legs to manage. Ok, he probably doesn't want me to drop the food when I'm bringing it out that way to the grill. It was sweet, no matter the reason. So he finishes up and says, "Look! A settin' step!" How does he know? It's the perfect place to watch the country world go by. An ideal spot to watch him cut the grass on the hill, which is hilarious by the way. Just the right place to set with a cold drink and watch over our dinner on the grill, and to lean back for a perfect view of the country night sky, which is phenomenal. A perfect spot to drink my morning coffee with Sam, who is the worlds best dog. Even if her owner doesn't think so at the moment.