Hey guys (and gals)… we made it to 10 episodes. Shocking, right?
The tenth episode, containing a story and discussion about a wonderfully charming character named Linus, and the list he was left to complete. Heartwarming, sappy hi-jinks ensue.*
Inspired by the phrase, “Diligence is complimented by efficiency.”
*There are no actual hi-jinks contained within this story. Just lots and lots of sappiness.
STORY
“That should do for now,” Linus said to himself as he reached to adjust his spectacles, his dirt stained gloves leaving behind small streaks on the sides of his face. He pulled a worn piece of paper from somewhere amidst his clothing, and crossed off another item written in a neat, even script. As he busied himself once more gathering his various trowels, spades, and clippers, he could feel the sun shining warmly, but not too warmly, on his shell, and he began to hum a sort of tune to himself. The basket of produce he had harvested stood waiting nearby, proving that his labors had not been in vain.
At last, all of his tools secured, Linus clutched his walking stick and raised himself up on knees that creaked a bit more than they did when he was a younger turtle. “Better bending than breaking” he chuckled to himself. “But I suppose the breaking will come soon enough. Until then, these old legs are just going to have to keep up.” After returning everything to the garden shed, Linus made his way, as slowly as ever, to the porch of his immaculately kept house. It was a simple home; his wife had seen to that. She liked to keep things practical, nothing more than what was needed. Even now, in her absence, Linus tried his best to carry on her tradition. “‘You know Linus, Diligence is complimented by Efficiency. You do good work, “Diligence!”’ ‘It’s all thanks to you, my dear Efficiency. And might I add that you look lovely today.’” He still talked to her like that, sometimes. It helped him remember.
Once inside, Linus took another look at his list, and went straight to work washing, first himself, and then the fruits of his labor, which mostly consisted of vegetables, so that before long his salad dinner had been prepared. He ate with the same deliberate pace he did most everything, not exactly slowly, but certainly not quickly. “‘That’s alright, you know, slow and steady win the race.’ ‘And which one am I, dear?’” He chuckled as he remembered that one. It seemed like Lily always knew just what to say, so it was rare that Linus got the opportunity to surprise her; and when he got it, he took it. More often though, the shoe was on the other foot, and Linus was the one caught off guard.
After supper, Linus tidied up as much as he could in the kitchen, and, upon consulting the list once again to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything, decided to finish his day with a bit of knitting. He was making fairly good progress on the scarf he was working on, though there had been some setbacks. If he kept it up he should be finished with both it and the matching hat fairly soon, at least by turtle reckoning. After the dozenth time trying and failing to get through a particularly complex part of the pattern, Linus finally decided to call it a night. “I’ll just have to work through that tomorrow. Shame you aren’t here, Lil’; you could figure this out easy.” As he said those words, he glanced at the picture sitting atop his nightstand. It was starting to fade a bit, but you could still see two middle aged turtles, both laughing, and clearly enjoying one another’s company. “Maybe tomorrow, Lil. Maybe tomorrow.” With that thought, Linus fell asleep.
The next day, and the next days after that, followed much the same routine. Linus woke, checked the list, did his chores, worked in the garden, crossed a few more chores off a seemingly unending list, and generally kept himself occupied. He had always liked to stay busy; but now he found himself working even harder than before. It took a little longer to do some of the things he and Lily used to do together. By the standards of the other animals they had still merely plodded along, but they didn’t care. In the end, the job always got done, and both of them were the better for the others help.
“You know, Lily, I kind of miss you.” It was a few days later, and Linus was painting the fence posts around the front of the house. “I hope you miss me too, wherever you are right now. I’m still working on that list you gave me, but it’s getting close. You always liked this fence done a certain way, and I can’t quite remember if I was supposed to start at the top and work down, or start at the bottom and work up. So far, I’ve been doing both, just to be safe.”
“It was the top, Linus. The paint runs too much if you start at the bottom.” Linus looked up, a bit startled to hear someone actually reply, just as Lily arrived at the gate with her arms full of various wrapped parcels and bags. “Lil, you’re back early! I wasn’t really expecting you until tomorrow.”
“I did have to stop a time or two, but it was just a trip to town. With a couple shortcuts, I don’t think it should take any longer than a week and a half to go down the lane and back.”
“Well, I’ve been trying to finish the list you gave me, but there are a few things I haven’t gotten to yet, I’m afraid. It takes some extra elbow grease when you’re not here.”
“Well then we’ll just have to do the rest of them together, won’t we? But first, would you mind carrying a few of these groceries? They say that ‘Many hands make light work.’”
“That sounds like a good plan, Lil.” Linus left his brush in the paint can, and together he and Lily carried the bundles into the house. They moved as slowly as you’d expect of two elderly turtles, but of course, in the end, they got the job done.
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