Clean Up & A Surprise
He surveyed his normally sparse living room, taking in the empty paper cups & plates. Rubbing his head he thought back over the events of the prior night. He was still trying to figure out how calling Sam over to check out his completed table had morphed into a team party. The only people not to show up at his house had been Hetty and Nate; no one had called Hetty and Nate was out of the country.
Oh well the mess wasn't going to clean itself up so he'd better get started. Grabbing a trash bag Callen started picking up the cups and plates and used napkins. After taking the bag to the outside trash can he went back and started grabbing the empty beer and soda cans; making another trip outside to place the empties in the recycle bin.
Returning to the house he wet a cloth and washed off the kitchen counters before heading over to his table to wipe it down. Running his fingers across the smooth surface he cycled the compliments from his friends thru his mind, a small smile creeping over his face. All of them had said good things about his table just as all of them had remarked about the lack of chairs. Walking back over to the sink he rinsed the cloth out and draped it over the faucet.
Callen picked up his workbag and took out his computer and set it up on the table before walking over to pull his chair over. Settling in at the table he turned on the computer and waited for it boot up. Hearing a truck stop outside his house Callen grabbed his gun and silently made his way over to peek out the window; looking out he could see a delivery truck stopped outside.
He waited for the driver to get back in the truck and drive away before opening the door. Picking up the package G brought it inside to the kitchen counter pausing to stow his gun away. He immediately checked the return address a strange look crossing his face at what he saw. Carefully opening the box he removed he tissue paper to reveal a large wooden bowl. He had never seen a bowl like this one, it was not your normal round shaped bowl; the edges waved in and out in a random pattern in an earthy brown tone.
Going back to the box he pulled out an informational pamphlet about the bowl and a sealed envelope. The information on the pamphlet said the bowl was an Enrico Rootworks Lacquered Bowl made from a recovered Chinese Fir tree called a Shan Mu. Knowing there was only one person in the work who would send him something like that he picked up the creamy ivory colored envelope opening it to removing the matching piece of stationary.
As he read the words written on the matching paper with a beautiful handwriting his other hand caressed the bowl a soft smile appeared on his face and his blue eyes lit up.
Mr. Callen, I sincerely hope this small token of my appreciation will compliment your table. Seeing the beautiful work of art you created with your own two hands so moved me I had to find the perfect item to show my approval.
That being said, please do not deface either of these works of art with weapons or any of that atrocious junk food you insist on consuming.
Hetty