I don’t know about you, dearest reader, but I personally am not the biggest fan of mowing lawns, especially in the thick Missouri summer heat. But one thing I do like is money, and one way to earn money is through mowing lawns.  

Now, the lawn that this story is about was, in theory, an easier law to mow. The grass wasn’t too long, there were not any steep hills. But there were gardens filled with the sharpest shrubs and pine trees you could imagine. The pain that I endured to mow this lawn was second to none, but I was getting paid quite a pretty penny to finish it, so I had to tough it out. The fact that it belonged to my grandpa also pushed me forwards, since I really did not want to mess this up.  

I had done this a couple of times before for my grandpa, and he always paid me a cool 50$, or, if I was lucky, a crisp Benjamin as a pre-order for another job in the future. So, I could not really complain. The front yard was always a breeze, at least after I did the outline of the sides in the beginning. Half of the route was lined with prickly branches and decorative tall grass that would make the most protected skin itch like a thousand mosquito bites. Both of my arms felt like they were covered in tiny little papercuts, but I had to keep going. If I moved fast, I’d beat the brutal sun and spare my already battered skin. 

Most times, I wasn’t so lucky. But there was no escaping the muggy air. I can’t count the number of times I had to force myself to cease so I could manage a breath or two. Seriously, you could cut it with a knife. But that didn’t stop me. I just had the backyard to go. I’d be lying if I said that I finished the front before I knew it. I could hear my aching bones creak through the blasting music in my headphones. But, to my satisfaction, I managed my way to the back yard. Which is right about when I remembered the evergreens in the backyard. They made the front yard’s trees look like tiny bushes, and I had to practically walk straight through the branches to get my outline finished. 

After I got all the pine needles out of my arms, I finally set out to finish the back yard. But regarding the sun situation, I was extremely late. I could feel the back of my neck sizzling as the sun burned into my flesh. I tried my hardest to ignore the slashing sensation that the tall grass blessed me with. At least the back yard was a bit smaller than the front. If only the self-propelling part of the lawnmower worked. My legs were quaking as I shoved the mower up and down the hill, keeping my lines as straight as I could. The finish line was so close I could taste it.  

When I connected the last line with the first, I was overwhelmed with exhaustion. I turned the mower off and put it in my grandpa’s shed, satisfied with how it turned out. As soon as I walked in the back door, I kicked the old shoes off my feet and made myself the most refreshing glass of ice water ever and sat under the air conditioner for as long as I felt necessary. 

“Those lines aren’t too straight there, Vin.” My grandpa said jokingly as he walked past me and into the kitchen. Too tired to say anything back, I decided to let it be, and zoned out on the patio chair.