Service Call

Back behind the Safeway

a short unpaved road
cuts through a line of scraggy trees
blocking the view of trash dumpsters
and a large mound of fill dirt.
Beyond that the road wends

to a dusty gravel parking lot.

And beyond that a lovely park:

an unexpected wonderland

with picnic tables
charcoal grills
a horseshoe pitch
sand volleyball court
even a butterfly garden.
The pond in the distance is swimmable.
There are people here.
The parking lot is nearly full.
Laughter and friendly conversation

compete with the eager summer cicadas.
The people here wear uniforms
of one sort or another
except for the swimmers
who have left theirs

on the Adirondack chairs
or back in their vehicles —
vans mostly with colorful logos
for the cable company
plumbing firms
exterminators
heating and air conditioning.
This is the morning shift.
One of them will be at your house
between the hours of 8 and 12.
But it’s only 9:30.
No one here is in a hurry.