How to make friends

Well... first you gotta get yourself a jeep. The more broken down, the better. You gotta park it in your barn of a garage, kind of out in the open. That way people can see it. And they can see you working on it. Now, it had better sit there for a little while first. That way people get used to seeing it and then when you're out there they can ask you questions about it. Like where it came from and what in the world you plan on doing with it and most importantly, 'Does that thing run?'

We are now the most popular people on our block. No joke. There are always people coming up our little bit of a driveway to check out our 'glorious, awesome piece of yellow metal.' Its beastliness just calls out across the pavement.

We've had people on their evening walks come and talk to us. Me sitting in the passenger seat, a lamp tipped to spread light over the book I am currently reading. Steven rolled under that thing somewhere, clunking on things and shaking others.

The neighbor boys (the boys that are married but have no children yet) drop by once in awhile, checking in on the progress and offering their advice and sometimes their muscles in a tricky spot. We even get to know them a little better as Steven has to run across the street or across the lawn, depending on who's brains he needs to pick, and asks them for a hour of their time to help him figure something out and twist something that I can't even see, let alone understand what its function is and why I am doing this. Pretty much I am only good for scooting the tool box around to the other side when needed.

Steven's a smart guy and keeps most of his tools within this convenient tray filled with the goodies. This makes it easy for me to hand him what he needs 'cause I can just hand him the whole thing instead of searching under boxes and through old jeep parts to find a hammer. Seriously, this jeep building is as messy as crafting.