When I did my laundry in Strasburg, I left a note on the bulletin board:
| I NEED A JOB Office, HR, Customer Service Would like $14/hr Will consider other Offers |
Last night after a frustrating day of failing the Excel test at the staffing agency, I got a call. It was Leroy, an Amish man. I am not using Leroy’s last name since he is pretty well known here. Leroy was looking for someone to paint his craft items.
OK, I’m game…so we met at 9AM at Katie’s Kitchen, authentic Amish cooking. I arrived first and got a cup of coffee. Not long after Leroy arrived sporting his black straw hat. He is a thin man between 55-65 years old. He wears traditional clothing held together with safety pins. I introduced myself and we had coffee.
We talked about the weather, dogs and people. He asked if I could drive him a few places. OK, I said curious to what this day would offer. He was a bit flirtatious—how fun. We went to his house driveway to pick up a saw and drove to the Black and Decker store in Rockvale plaza. They could not sharpen the saw. Leroy said that stores here rent for $6000 a month and many were now closed or closing. Leroy said he wanted to try a hardware store in Bird in Hand, but first we had to stop at the Turkey Hill because he needed to “water the horses” and there was a real doll there. We drove to the hardware store where I was the one everyone was staring at.
Evidently they could not sharpen the saw either. Now he wanted to go to Intercourse to the bank because there was a clerk there who was a real doll. Are you seeing a pattern yet?? After the bank we went back to Bird in Hand to a machine shop. Leroy took off his watch, “We aren’t suppose to have these.” The machine shop took the saw. Leroy came out of the shop and lit another cigarillo and starting singing “Bad, bad Leroy Brown.” He said that’s what everyone calls him “Bad Leroy”. I was coming to that conclusion myself.
After the machine shop, Leroy directed me to a short cut (not) through the country. He pointed out his sister’s house. He has five brothers and at least two sisters that I know. He said “people always complain about how big Amish families are, but everyone is needed to keep the farm going. He said people are jealous about the million dollar farms but they don’t realize it is hard work and 14 hours a day. “ He said yesterday he mowed grass and it was hot.
Anyway we ended back on route 30 where we had to stop at a gas station so he could buy some more cigarillos. Every time we stopped he would light one up. Oh yes, then he says he forgot to buy minutes for his cell phone (shhh don’t tell anyone). Back to the Turkey Hill where he watered some more horses, bought minutes and found the “doll “and gave her a big kiss. I waited in the hot car not knowing what was taking so long. He came out and said, “Did you see me kiss that blonde? She is a real looker.”
OK so here we have a real character. The next stop was Applebee’s on route 30. Everywhere we went everyone seems to know Leroy and this was no exception. The bartender said “Hi Leroy. Do you want your regular Budweiser?” He ordered and offered to buy me a beer. Originally I was going to have water, but it was offered and I don’t turn down a free beer especially when it was so hot. I had a large draft and on an empty stomach gave me a bit of a buzz. Leroy drank three bottles of beer using a straw.
At this point Leroy is definitely chatting me up. Innuendos and flirts were passed around. It was fun but I was not sure where this was going to end.
To find out the rest of the story see Part 2 coming soon.
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