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| Source: lusi |
Mama said we gotta
clean this whole damn place. “Every inch
of it!” she said.
Mama filled up a
bucket of scrubbing soap that smelled like pine tree. She handed me a rag, and we started
scrubbing. Scrubbing hard, like there
was sin in every crack.
From the ceiling to
the floor, Mama scrubbed, scrubbed some more.
Then she changed the water with more pine stuff.
What was I
doing? “Sweep the floor! You gotta sweep clean!” So I did what Mama said. Then she told me to do it all over
again.
Mama filled another
bucket of water and pine stuff. Gave me
a stiff brush, got on her knees, and started scrubbing the floor in big
circles. She sent me to work along side,
so as we’d scrub from one end to the other.
She dumped the
bucket, put clear water and a dose of pine stuff. And we started all over again, circle and
circle, on our knees. Did this until the
water ran clear at the end. Thought we
was done.
But no. We got some old rags and rinsed off the pine
water. One end to the other.
Then Mama stood
up. “You always gotta sweep the floor
clean.” That was what we done.
Went out to the porch where a cool breeze was blowing. Mama had some coffee and a cigarette. I had some water.
I asked her why men didn't do this, since as it was darn hard work.
"Men don't know much about cleaning the house." She took a long hard drag on the cigarette. "They don't know much at all."
Went out to the porch where a cool breeze was blowing. Mama had some coffee and a cigarette. I had some water.
I asked her why men didn't do this, since as it was darn hard work.
"Men don't know much about cleaning the house." She took a long hard drag on the cigarette. "They don't know much at all."
