Wayne's not dead

My neighbor Wayne is a quiet sort, I occasionally hear the bandsaw from his shop or see him over the fence. But I hadn't seen him for a while and then the last few days there has been a lot of activity over there. Cars coming and going, cars that I didn't recognize. Unfamiliar people and conversations in the driveway that I couldn't hear. Gates left open that never were before.

I began to think that Wayne was dead. Maybe these were his relatives, children coming around to close up the house, distribute his things. This was my speculations, like the dog who howls when new people come into house and his master is not to be seen.

It's been quiet on our side of the fence too. After months of rumors and weeks of evaluation, the company announced the layoffs. 620 from the local office, more in other locations. Some of them are people we've known for years and some are strangers. Still, the strain of wondering and then knowing and not telling has been hard on my wife. She's one of those making the decisions and it's made her withdrawn and moody.

But Wayne is alive! I just saw him over the fence puttering around as usual. I daren't tell him what I was thinking, I hope a "how you doing?" will suffice to express my relief.