Leigh Street Valentine

When you walk three miles every day, you take your pleasures where you find them.

Walking down Leigh street a couple of weeks ago, I came upon a dilapidated house being worked on my a wizened-looking older man.

As he stood on a ladder working on the porch, his boom box blared Peaches and Herb's "Reunited," making me smile and say hello.

A week or so later, I walked by and Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" was blasting, so I gave him the thumbs up and he waved back.

Last week, I walked by and he was there, but his boombox wasn't.

What, no music? He said the extension cord was being used for something else at the moment, which I understood, but still felt disappointed.

What golden oldie was I missing?

All that was forgotten on this sunny morning when I approached the battered old house and saw my guy bent over the boombox.

"I saw you coming down the block, so I'm trying to get it on," he said, smiling, and pushing buttons.

Darling, you send me
I know you send me
Darling, you send me
Honest you do, honest you do
Honest you do

"There!" he said with emphasis and a grin. "Happy Valentine's Day, young lady!"

Sam Cooke's voice through an old man's gnarled hands straight to my ears.

And happy Valentine's Day to you, kind sir.