Richie and Hando, An Understanding

Richie had just changed into his favorite warm up pants when his cell phone went off, "Richie here," he said looking around for the faded red tee shirt he was going to put on.

"Mr. Roberts I hate to disturb you at home but there’s been a bit of a mishap here."

"What’s happened Miss Peeg?" he stopped in his tracks after all Hando was there.

"A problem with the pressure washer and well my office has been washed."

"What! Did he do that on purpose?"

"Oh no sir nothing like that, a bit of an accident I would say, the window went and then of course the hose thing came in through the opening and…"

"I’m on my way Miss Peeg." Richie sighed and pulled his shirt on.

"Richie, where are you going you just got home?" Toni asked walking behind him.

"Back to the office…wanna ride along seems Hando has washed the inside of the office as well."

Toni grinned this should be worth a trip and she slid in the passenger seat still grinning.

"What… you think this is funny?"

"Sounds like it," she said buckling up.

Richie parked and got out taking in the alleyway where the washer was still dripping water onto the soaked and muddy ground, scaffolding in the bushes. Toni stayed on his heels and they went inside. By now anything salvageable from the watered room was stacked on the other side.

Miss Peeg and Hando also on the dry side, he with his hands on his hips.

"So…exactly what happened here Hando?" Richie turned to him.

"I dunno," he shrugged, "the hose got away from me."

Richie stared at him a minute understanding he wasn’t trying to be smart just telling the truth. "Come outside and tell me what you were doing."

"It gave me quite a fright," said Miss Peeg to Toni

"I imagine it did…are you okay?"

"Oh yes I’m quite over it now…he didn’t mean to do this you know."

Toni looked into her face and smiled a little smile, "I’m sure he didn’t Miss Peeg, in fact I’d bet money he’s never held a pressure washer before."

"I don’t think he’s ever done much of anything of value," Miss Peeg said

"You...you’re not thinking of taking him on to reform are you?" Toni raised a brow

"Well," said Miss Peeg straightening her skirt, "it’s never too late I always say…of course there has to be something there to start with and I think he has it…inside."

"Ho oh, you’d better be careful there from what I hear he is a smart cookie…be careful he doesn’t use you for his own ends."

"Well, Mrs. Roberts, I daresay I have dealt with worse…I once faced down a tiger in India."

Toni controlled herself, "did it tuck tail and run?"

"Yes fortunately or I should have shot it."

Toni stared at her a moment, "Miss Peeg you never cease to amaze me you should write a book."

"And then the whole fucking thing went over in the hedge, me with it." Hando was explaining.

Richie listened to him and then picked up the end of the hose, "Hando you see this thing right here, that’s a switch…a gauge it’s got high, medium and low. You got the thing on high and holding it like you were three inches from the fucking building you’re lucky the damn mortar didn’t wash out of the bricks. You don’t need the scaffolding for pressure washing…"

"Well then what the hell did I spend all that time putting it together for?"

"For the paint job, you’ll need it for that. " Richie spent some time explaining how the pressure washer worked and how to use it. He expected an attitude from Hando and got it.

"I don’t really give a fuck you know," Hando said.

"I know you don’t," Richie said to him, "but I do, this is my property. When you own something Hando really own it…not steal it or take it over like you’ve done up at that cabin which is on somebody else’s property by the way, you have a different feeling. It becomes part of you an extension of who you are and you tend to treat it with respect. That respect spills over to your neighbor’s property and so on. You’re not a kid on the streets anymore Hando."

Hando gave him a glare what did he know about a kid on the streets .

"Look out back and see if you can find a piece of plywood to shore up the window there. Call it a day Hando and I’ll see you here bright and early in the morning." Richie went back inside.

"I’ve called a cleanup crew from Coffs they’re on their way to get rid of the water damage," Miss Peeg said when he walked in.

"Good job Miss Peeg, I’ve told Hando to shore up the window and go home. He’s to be back here in the morning bright and early."

"Yes sir, shall I stay on for the recovery crew?"

Richie smiled, "I think you might need a bit of recovery yourself, take the rest of the day off, Toni and I will be around for the crew when they get here."

Miss Peeg gathered her things and walked back to the boarding house. Richie had to find nails and a hammer for Hando.

After Hando left Richie took Toni’s hand, "how about I buy you a beer lady?"

"I thought you’d never ask," she smiled up at him.