Frank - Part I

Since Kerpatrick has been in Kansas City and the lawnmower broke, we decided to hire Frank. Frank is this amazingly, wonderful man who does everyone's yards in the neighborhood. He only charges me $35 for the front, the back, edging, and blowing. It's a deal if you ask me. I recently told KP how I felt blessed to have Frank in my life. He is this kind man who used to be an elementary school music teacher. He also used to be in the Virginia Symphony. Frank actually has prostate cancer and goes to radiation treatments nearly every day.

You would never know that this man has cancer. He's out there every day taking care of people's lawns and carrying on with the most positive attitude.

My kids love Frank. The other day Frank came over to just to follow up on the job he had done for me the day before. He was standing outside and Sawyer said to him, "Mr. Frank, you have green shoes, green socks, green pants.......green everything!!!!" Frank replied, "Yup....everything's green 'cept my bank account!"

Frank never worries about being getting paid. He is always kind and generous.

The other day he wasn't able to get the mowing done before we were having professional photos of the house taken. They had rescheduled his radiation treatment and Frank called to ask what time I needed him. When he realized that his radiation treatment and the time I needed him conflicted, he decided to forgo his appointment.

I, of course, said that was out of the question. I told him to keep his appointment and that I could run down to my neighbor's to borrow a lawnmower. Frank said that he was a couple blocks away and would lend me his lawnmower instead.

He pulled up, got out of the car, and explained his self propelled mower to me. I started to mow and Frank started to edge. I asked him if he was going to be late and he said that he should be fine. So there Frank and I were.....I mowed, he edged - a pretty good team.

Frank had to leave before I finished mowing the back, but before he left I tried to pay him for the edging work he had done, etc. He wouldn't let me pay him. In fact, I had to keep the mower and he had to come back for it after his appointment. I tried, again, to give him money and he wouldn't take it.

The other day when Frank came over, he expressed his sincere condolences about losing Llewellyn. He talked about how full of life she was and that he was surprised to hear of her passing from a neighbor.

It's rare that you find this truely genuine kindness. It makes me stop and wonder if Frank's presence in my life was supposed to be a gift.