Phil and Marge Each Have Gifts

Mechanical Aptitude and the Gift of Gab

Phil settled into campus life easily and soon discovered that Auto Shop was the most enjoyable class of his Senior year. Sometimes he missed the smooth feel of the wood under a sanding block, but he was always exhilarated to hear an engine crank successfully after diagnosing and fixing a problem. He also enjoyed much of Marge’s company throughout the year.

After high school graduation in the spring, he and Marge enjoyed a leisurely summer. In the fall he began attending a trade school in a nearby town and continued studying auto mechanics. He commuted back and forth on the bus for two years. Every day en route from the bus station to his house, he walked past Marge’s house. She lived in a two-story, gray house with a big, white, wrap-around porch. Phil always noted the disparity between the bus that vibrated loudly, raucous with people noises, and the quiet tranquility of the Plummer's porch. The bus was full of ladies bouncing children and men juggling briefcases. It was a sharp contrast to the Plummer's porch which was always a still and calm place where Phil found a little slice of tranquility. Sometimes the only movement was a breeze and the swing. No matter the weather, Marge would wait outside for Phil to stop by. There was never a question of would Marge be there or would Phil stop. After the first few days, it became such a