Chapter Text
Mike came down the basement stairs to find Joel tinkering with some gizmo full of wires.
“Hi.”
“Oh, hey honey, I didn’t hear you come in. How was work?” Joel gave Mike a peck on the cheek.
“Work was work. Another boring day. Didn’t really get interesting until I pulled into the driveway.”
“Did Tom and Crow leave their pogo sticks in the driveway again? I warned them about that yesterday.”
“Honey, would you have any idea why Mrs. Soderstrom threw a zucchini at me when I got out of my car?” Mike asked.
Joel bent down low over his workbench, but Mike could still see the smile forming at the corners of his lips.
“She was yelling something about ‘filthy-minded perverts’ and ‘decent people eat vegetables, not commit horrible acts with them’. I got into the house before she could finish.”
Joel started to giggle. Mike was a bit taken aback. Joel wasn’t a giggler.
“So…why was I nearly beaned in the gourd with a squash?”
“Today is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day. I heard it on NPR this morning,” Joel straightened, a sly smile across his usually placid face. “So I thought I’d share some largess with Mrs. Soderstrom.”
“We don’t have a garden. Are you telling me you went to the store just to buy a zucchini?”
“Of course not! I bought two rather round and wrinkly avocados, too. To up the presentation value.”
Mike puzzled for a second, then he too broke into a grin. “You didn’t.”
“I did. Right in front of the door, on that lovely scriptural doormat of hers. Then I rang the bell and ran.” Joel was giggling like a schoolgirl. “Serves her right for all those damn Chick Tracts she sticks under the wipers or inside the paper.”
Mike chuckled. “Maybe I should go back out and ask her to throw the avocados too. We could make some guacamole…”