A Modern Love

by M. Glenn Aldridge

  Chapter 2

  I tend to rise early in the mornings, especially during the summertime so I can watch the sunrise. I'd been up a couple of hours when David Kerr moved into The Villa on a midsummer day.

  It was a summer day like any other Kentucky summer day. Morning was muggy and in the upper seventies, surely to reach upper nineties or low one hundreds by noon. It seemed you could feel the threat of the sun from the courtyard but it was still kept at bay by the eastern apartments. Steam was coming off the flower gardens in the courtyard and the pool was like glass.

  There was the smell of coffee in the air all over The Villa and the residents were carrying out their standard Wednesday morning tasks of walk the dog, ready the kiddos, take the jog, shower up, breakfast, rush to work and school, etc, etc. Just your everyday in small town America.

  Maybe it was the normalcy of the morning or the fact that I had slept so well, but I really took notice to our new tenant moving in. He was coming just as most everyone else had cleared out for work, so he was the main and only attraction.

  Of course my first impressions of David Kerr were of appearance only, from my apartment window. David's appearance was simply average in every way. Average height of say five foot nine inches, I'd guess a weight of one hundred and sixty pounds, build was not skinny but not overly muscular, hair was a dark brown, couldn't make out the eye color from my window. Let's just say from appearances he was the every man.

  It was David's demeanor that set him apart on first impressions. He seemed to have an air of confidence that did not fit his youthful appearance. There didn't seem to be even the slightest arrogance in him just an outward manner of happiness within himself. As if where he is must be where it's at, that is to say that he is content with the state of things. That's just the way he carried himself. Like smiling when no one was around or laughing at himself when he tripped on the third step going up to his second floor apartment or stopping by the pool and taking his left shoe and sock off to test the water while taking a long look at the sky. David just had an easy going and affable way about him.

  Now I suppose it would have been downright neighborly to help David move his things in, but as I've mentioned I'm more of a people watcher. More of a people observer than an outright people person I suppose. I guess from afar it's easier to like folks, maybe that's it.

  Anyway, I'm afraid I have to tell you that I didn't assist the young Mr. Kerr's move in that day, but I did provide him with long distance morale support, sort of willing his success through the morning by paying close attention to his moving in process. As well as drinking an extra cup of coffee for our energy level. I found out many things about David simply by observing the things he owned.

  Of course David had numerous boxes labeled kitchen, bedroom, living room, bath and such. He also had an enormous amount of boxes labeled books, that he wheeled in on a red hand truck with big balloon tires. As he carried the other boxes in, when I saw him hand trucking in the book boxes the first thing that came to my mind was that David was doing some heavy reading. Maybe he's a bit of a bookworm, couldn't really judge yet, or maybe he just has a lot of books to make people think he's smart?

  David had a few large boxes labeled clothes, but they were sealed up tight so I didn't get to see his wardrobe. Too bad because that would have been very helpful in getting to know David from afar; clothes can tell you a lot about a person, especially the shoes. I could have figured out what kind of job he had (white or blue collar), how casual or stuffy he was, and probably what he did for recreation. Goodness knows you can't judge a man by his moving clothes. I had to rely on some of his other processions to help out with who David was.

  Only a small television, and it looked pretty old, led me to believe he didn't watch a lot of the boob tube. This along with the books was starting to paint a picture of someone with more of a mature nature than his initial appearance provided. Maybe even someone with above average intelligence? Not sure so far.

  The living room accoutrement consisted of a very small couch, two end tables, coffee table, several particle board book cases and an old worn out recliner. All of these items looked second or even third hand to me. Can you say "flea market"; or maybe a hand me down? Obviously Mr. Kerr was not big on lavish things. Or maybe he just put his mind and money elsewhere.

  A fairly nice wood headboard for what looked like a double bed was about all the bedroom furniture I could see. Probably a family hand me down, as it didn't fit his other taste in furniture. Too nice to be a flea market, I think. Oh, and there was a particle board chest of drawers also.

  Then came along some things that would tell me something about David; the recreation items. There were several fishing poles and a couple of tackle boxes. I like to call them "tickle" boxes, just a little remembrance from childhood. There was an exercise bike that was pretty worn, so I assumed David was a bit of a workout freak. That was only reinforced when I noticed his weight lifting equipment. He must be pretty serious about physical fitness as he didn't have any of the "safe" weightlifting machines, but rather he had the free weights like they use in Olympic weight lifting; pretty serious stuff.

  One of the things I noticed that was omitted from his pool of recreation equipment was guns; particularly hunting rifles and shotguns. Now he had the fishing tackle, which is one of the two main recreation activities around these parts, but he was missing the hunting gear to fit in with all the other trigger happy locals. Maybe he's a member of PETA or something, who knows. Although, I'll bet PETA folks probably don't fish either.

  David also owned what looked like a violin, or from this distance it could have been a viola case. First thing I thought was that he better rename it a fiddle in this neck of the woods. He also toted a keyboard up the stairs to his apartment. We have a musician on our hands; hope he's a quiet one.

  I quickly deduced that David was single when I saw an extremely small kitchen table with old worn out chairs and a bunch of television trays. Certainly a lady would choose better.

  I also noted that David didn't appear to have any pets. Pets are allowed at The Villa so I assumed he hasn't had any for some time or maybe ever, as there would be no need to get rid of Fido the dog or Garfield the cat to move in here.

  I questioned myself about the impressions I gleaned from these possessions but then let the pride swell up in me as I knew I'd gotten pretty adept at such things over years of observing folks from afar.

  I later found out many specific things about David such as: he moved to Owensboro from a similar sized town in central Virginia. Apparently he moved for work but he doesn't talk about that much. It seems one of David's heady philosophies is to never let work intrude on his personal life. It appears David believes you work to live not live to work. Pretty mature attitude for such a young guy, I'd say.

  David is a Christian but doesn't attend church much. No real reason he doesn't attend regularly, it's just been his upbringing. He never really attended much as a child so he carried that forward into his adult life. David does seem to believe things happen for a reason though; like its God's plan or in God's hands. Perhaps that helps him with his easy going attitude. Go with the flow so to speak.

  I deduced correctly about David's single status. Never married and no kiddos, although he does want children someday, when he finds that right person that is.

  David drinks occasionally but he's just not a bar person and he doesn't party much either. This is simply because he is more of a homebody and enjoys more intellectual pursuits. I also think he doesn't like the second hand smoke of the bar/club scene; interferes with his recreational running and workouts I suppose. I guess it doesn't do much good to stay fit and workout all the time if you put yourself in harm's way for lung cancer.

  By all outward appearances David is a positive person, and probably inwardly as well. However, it does appear he struggles a bit meeting young adults his own age, especially the girls, or at least the right
girl anyway.

  David was raised in central Virginia by his mother, as he comes from a divorced family. His father lives somewhere in the state of Washington. David hasn't seen him since he was about six years old though, and speaks little of him. I think he'd mentioned that he hasn't even spoken to his father on the phone since he was about fourteen.

  David wasn't much of a jock in school but he did play baseball and soccer. I think he said he wasn't very good at either. He sees himself as good at running/jogging and even better at reading. That is, he likes to stay in shape but sees himself as more of an intellectual. He certainly seems to think a lot.

  David did attend college and graduated with a Bachelor's degree. What field I have no idea as that goes back to David's philosophy of not talking about work in his personal time. However, I think he has an important job. That is to say, I think he has a valued brain. He must right?

  One really couldn't refer to David as a popular guy, in school he was known as having a bit of a dry sense of humor and more of a smart kid than the athletic outgoing type girls are more attracted to usually.

  I immediately sensed from David that he was interested in finding that special someone. Love might even be on his mind. However, I don't think he had a desire to be aggressive about it or really even search for love actively. I think he was just looking forward to new things and hoping for the best.

  David doesn't seem very competitive. If I had to sum up David it would have to be: He's a dependable friend, and some would say a bit boring. Oh, based on some of David's past I'd also have to say he is a deliberate planner as well; thoughtful.

  Like the story he told me about how he achieved his Bachelor's degree so quickly. Being a one parent home, the family didn't really have much money. Still, with David's intelligence there was no doubt that he was going to pursue higher education. The real trick was coming up with the money. As usual, David thought this through well in advance of beginning college and then put his plan into action.

  Summer classes were definitely in the plan, so as to hurry on through the monotony of the basic courses, as well as finish up early and get a real job. David made the decision early on that one great way to ensure that he does not waste money is to never miss a class and never drop a class. Rather, he would study hard and commit to every class. He would also do a bit of research on each Professor before signing up for a class to ensure he would not have to drop the class. He found out early on that the same exact class (subject) can be far different with a bad teacher than a good one.

  David also worked evenings in the grocery store and hauled hay in the summer time. The real reason for these steps and discipline on his part is that David respects and loves his mother, and didn't want to waste any of her money or put her in debt any further than she already is; a mature and thoughtful attitude for a young man.