The Little Things

I live across street from a high school. Let me tell you that alone should be enough fodder for a gazillion young adult novels. But that's beside the point. Right now they're building on this high school.  To get a breath of fresh air every now and again I sit outside and watch. They come in early to work and leave a little after two. Their cars are lined up on the street. Every single one of them start up their car, take off their gear and then just stand for a moment outside their car. Next, what they do is so simple and yet so specific it's a little mesmerizing. It's something the average person wouldn't think about it. They slap off the dust from their clothes. Depends on the person, but they either began at their chest and work their way down or they start at their feet. Puffs of dust float off their clothes and it's a ritual. 

While I'm sitting there outside I'm capturing all this and it's so well timed. Tony, my hero, works in construction. Now, I've assembled furniture before. I've glued together popsicle to make this or that either as a child or with my kids. But I know absolutely nothing about what it takes to build something. What the aches are at the end of the day. I don't know anything about the small things that make up a profession. 

I would have no idea that before these workers get into their car, they'd slap the dust off their clothes. It's so little it could have been something I've seen before but never paid any mind to. 

Yet, it matters when you're building a world. It's a little thing. I love those.