The Wool Cap Exchange

When Carter woke up that morning, he knew it was earlier than usual for him. What woke him? He listened for a few minutes and then heard an unmistakable sound. He hadn't heard it for several years. Living in Middle Tennessee there wasn't much reason why he would. He listened to the sound again. The rhythmic scraping of a shovel on a sidewalk or driveway, a pause and then more scraping. 

He got out of bed and went to his bedroom window. He saw maybe six inches of snow on the ground. His neighbor, Terry, was indeed shoveling the pristine white stuff from his driveway.

Carter quickly got dressed and went to his garage. He grabbed a shovel he'd owned for twenty years and started shoveling. He kept glancing at the house three doors down, hoping that maybe Tamara would step out and clear her driveway. They had gone out several times in the past 6 weeks, but the last time he asked her out, she said, “I need to take a break from seeing anyone. I feel like I jump into relationships too quickly. Tends to backfire on me."

He had been polite, but it bothered him. He really liked Tamara. She had a sweet disposition and a Mediterranean look he really liked, dark eyes and dark hair. 
When he finished shoveling, he thought about clearing her driveway, but thought better of it. He was only 48, and in great shape, but as a registered nurse, who worked in an ER, he was aware that shoveling snow could cause a heart attack. He blushed a little about his skittishness. His wire rimmed glasses fogged up a bit. 

He stood looking at her driveway, thinking about what to do. His neighbor, Terry, who had just finished shoveling his sidewalk came over. He was overweight and out of breath from all the work he had done. "Build her a snowman. That way you can clean her driveway and look like you're a creative sort. She might like that."

Carter grimaced. "You think that will work?" Terry knew they had dated and that Carter was smitten. 

"Terry pulled his phone out. "Let's ask Cheryl.  He called his wife and explained his plan. "What do you think, baby doll?"

"Why don't you build me a snowman and see if it works on me?" Cheryl asked.

"Will you be impressed?"

"I'll be more impressed if you come in the house and make me breakfast."

"You're no help. I'll be in in a minute.

"Wait, tell Carter he has nothing to lose. If she's interested in him, she'll love it. If not, she'll put a for sale sign in her yard to get away from the weirdo who built a snowman in her driveway."

Terry relayed Cheryl's advice to Carter.

"Ok," Carter said. “I’m a little worried though. I mean Cheryl is a real estate agent." The men laughed.

Starting with a snowball. Carter rolled it into a solid base, repeating the task twice until he had a chest and a head done. He hadn't actually made a snowman since he was a boy living in New Jersey. He was pleased that he remembered how. He found two solid branches for arms and enough stones to make a smiling face. For good measure, he took off the wool cap he was wearing with the New York Yankees logo and placed it on the snowman’s skull. He laughed. Tamara was a true Southern girl. The wool Yankee cap might be a deal breaker. 

There was no sign of her when he finished, so he went back to his house, shaved, showered and got dressed. He peeked out his front window and saw that the snowman must have met with an accident. It was in several pieces strewn on her driveway.

Obviously, she had backed her Silverado truck out of the garage. He wondered if she even noticed Mr. Yankee. He couldn't see the cap. 

He decided to eat breakfast and retrieve his cap later. With that done, he walked across the street and searched for his Yankee cap. Cheryl had stepped out to put something in her mailbox. "Did she call you yet about listing her house?" Carter asked.

Cheryl laughed. "No, she called me to ask if I knew where she could buy a wool Yankee hat."

Carter looked closely at Cheryl. "You should consider doing stand-up if real estate doesn't work out," he said.

"I'm serious. She told me she backed out to run to the Dollar General to get milk. Ran right over your guy and somehow ripped his cap."

"Was she upset?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Did she like the snowman?"

"Well, she never actually saw it, but I sent her a picture of it."

"Now what?"

"You have a choice. Clean up that mess in her driveway."

"Or?"

"Cheryl grinned. "Or, I'll give you a for sale sign for your yard."

Carter shook his head. He grabbed his shovel and cleaned Tamara's driveway. She arrived just as he threw his last shovelful of snow.

"HI! Sorry about your snowman. I didn’t see it. I couldn't find a Yankee cap, but I got you a Titans' cap."

He grinned. "Thanks."

"You might need it. I have two tickets for the Titans game tomorrow.  Would you like to go?"

"Yes, I would"