The Sweetest Thing

Sometimes the simplest gestures mean the most - a phone call out of the blue, a card arriving via snail mail just because, a friend showing up with a fresh, hot cup of coffee. Those kinds of things mean more to me than extravagant gifts, particularly because often times gifts are given without much thought going into them. Something helpful related to knitting just about sends me over the moon, because I know then that whoever did that has really taken the time to know and care.

Friday afternoon, July 4, to be exact, Buddy Bill and I were sitting outside, enjoying the day. He was reading, I was knitting. It wasn't quite sundown, and the temps were cool for the 4th of July. We have this easy relationship that doesn't require words all of the time. A companionable silence is often fine; that quiet doesn't have to be filled up with chatter or other noise like it does with other people. After a while, I realized that my knitting was going along quite smoothly. I hadn't had to tug on the ball of yarn to get more yarn to work with in a while. Glancing sideways at B, I found that he had pulled out some of my ball of yarn, and was feeding yarn to me as I knit, all while continuing to read his book. Without saying a word.

*melt*

At that very moment, I just about turned into a human puddle in the backyard. (Is that possible?)

I've happened to come across some male knitters, but I honestly do not know other men who will patiently, all on their own, sit and hold the yarn and quietly unspool it as their loved one knits. My knitterly friends - females - all agreed that the guys generally stay away from their yarn. And of course, Bill has no idea why what he did is so special, which makes it even more special.

Girls, if I ever toss him back I'll give you advance warning!

PS. Bill? You're still going to bring me coffee, right?