Return of RDF: The Gardener

He held the hose like a gun.  Arms stretched forward to meet at a point, index finger poised near the trigger.  Anticipating for a beat, he soon gave in and squeezed, soundtracking himself with a little "Pew-pew!" uttered under his breath.  Water shot out in a grandiose arc, matching tone with its swooshing fanfare.  His amusement at enjoying this basic task was reflected only in his eyes, which hid smiling behind oversized raybans that gave him a slightly alien appearance.  Shifting the hose into his left hand, he reached down with his right to scratch.  The mosquitoes at last night's barbeque had been prolific, and particularly keen.  One had gotten him squarely in the middle of his newest tattoo, an extravagant byzantine cross that took up nearly the entirety of his right calf.  He hesitated to scratch the skin that was still tender and recovering, but the urge to itch won out.  It was painful yet still satisfying, sort of like poking a bruise.  As if facing those overzealous pests during his day job weren't enough, anytime he socialized outdoors he further exposed himself to their gnawing incursions.  Suddenly, the door of the corporate building whose lilies he was so playfully tending swung open. A young woman materialized, exhaling a half sigh half exclamation at the brutal temperature.  He gave a sidelong up and down glance.  Brunette, petite and curvy - not his type.  Back to his lilies then, tall and slender in their plumb beauty.  The sun beat down on the back of his neck, but he felt light as the droplets of water still misting gently through the air.