did not have exact change. I rode my bike to Marina Handy Mart instead, even though it was raining hard. I bought milk, a can of SpaghettiOs, and bread.
Handy Mart is more expensive and SpaghettiOs are not as good as Saturday night spaghetti like Gram, Keith, and I used to make. Cherry was not working at the counter, so I did not stay to talk. I hooked the plastic bags on the handlebars of my bike and they swung and hit my knees all the way back to my apartment.
11
I still have to do my wash on Wednesdays, but it is only my clothes and not Gram’s. I only have two small loads. I used to do four loads. I would have sheets, towels, Gram’s underwear, and her pajamas. Those are the whites. My shirts, jeans, and Gram’s dresses are the darks. Thinking of this makes me sad, so I have to cry again.
Gram said it was very important to have the dark clothes together and the white ones separate so they do not run or change colors. Gram taught me. The first time I washed clothes, I accidentally put her red top with my underpants.
“Goddamn, Perry! All your underwear’s pink! So are my bras. Well, that’s okay. I don’t mind pink bras, but you better start growing or you’re going to wear pink underwear for a long, long time. We can’t afford to buy new,” and Gram made me keep them until I needed the next larger size. After that, we used them for rags. Pink underwear is definitely not cool and I would have been embarrassed if anybody found out.
I stayed in my pajamas and put all my other clothes into the washer. I dumped soap in, turned the dial, and closed the lid. It was bathroom-cleaning day. At Gram’s house on days off, I always cleaned the bathroom and Gram did the kitchen floor. Now I have to do all the chores. It takes a long time.
The first thing I do is clean the shower with Comet. It is all scratchy on the tile and my back gets sore. I am scrubbing the toilet bowl with a brush when I hear BANG! CRASH! CRASH! I run into the hall. There is soapy water all over the floor. I slip and fall on my butt and slide all the way to my bedroom. It hurts. I hit my arm on the door. I crawl on my hands and knees and have to use all my clean towels to mop it up. The washer is still leaking and I turn it off quick so it does not explode and kill me.
It is a very bad day.
My pajama bottoms are soaked. I must have made a lot of noise because Keith and Gary come running upstairs and bang on my door. I hear their voices so I know who it is. I am embarrassed, all dripping wet, and covered with Comet and laundry soap. I do not want to answer their knocks, but it is rude to pretend you are not home. I open the door and tell them what happened.
“My clothes are dirty. The washer is broken. There’s water all over the floor. I have nothing to wear. Gram is dead and there’s no one to help me.”
I cannot stop crying and get the hiccups. My eyes are swollen shut and I cannot see. Gary goes into my kitchen and brings me back a glass of water. He makes me sit on the couch and hands me a paper towel to wipe my face. Paper towels are rough and they hurt. It is better to use toilet paper, but I do not tell him that. It would hurt his feelings.
“Have you had anything to eat?” Keith asks. He looks around at the mess in my apartment. I am ashamed at my dirty place. My elbow throbs and my knee prickles.
“No,” I tell him. That is the truth. I forgot to buy my cereal.
Keith is my friend. He goes down to his boat and brings me back a Snickers candy bar and a navy blue sweatshirt and pair of jeans. Gary finds Gramp’s old belt in my drawer. Keith’s pants are too big for me. They drag on the floor, but I do not care. He helps throw my wet laundry in the back of Yo and drives me to Nick’s Laundromat. He keeps me company and we eat Cheetos while my laundry washes and dries. He even helps me fold everything.
“You let me know when you need help like this. You hear, Per?” Keith has to clear his throat three times.
“You
Handy Mart is more expensive and SpaghettiOs are not as good as Saturday night spaghetti like Gram, Keith, and I used to make. Cherry was not working at the counter, so I did not stay to talk. I hooked the plastic bags on the handlebars of my bike and they swung and hit my knees all the way back to my apartment.
11
I still have to do my wash on Wednesdays, but it is only my clothes and not Gram’s. I only have two small loads. I used to do four loads. I would have sheets, towels, Gram’s underwear, and her pajamas. Those are the whites. My shirts, jeans, and Gram’s dresses are the darks. Thinking of this makes me sad, so I have to cry again.
Gram said it was very important to have the dark clothes together and the white ones separate so they do not run or change colors. Gram taught me. The first time I washed clothes, I accidentally put her red top with my underpants.
“Goddamn, Perry! All your underwear’s pink! So are my bras. Well, that’s okay. I don’t mind pink bras, but you better start growing or you’re going to wear pink underwear for a long, long time. We can’t afford to buy new,” and Gram made me keep them until I needed the next larger size. After that, we used them for rags. Pink underwear is definitely not cool and I would have been embarrassed if anybody found out.
I stayed in my pajamas and put all my other clothes into the washer. I dumped soap in, turned the dial, and closed the lid. It was bathroom-cleaning day. At Gram’s house on days off, I always cleaned the bathroom and Gram did the kitchen floor. Now I have to do all the chores. It takes a long time.
The first thing I do is clean the shower with Comet. It is all scratchy on the tile and my back gets sore. I am scrubbing the toilet bowl with a brush when I hear BANG! CRASH! CRASH! I run into the hall. There is soapy water all over the floor. I slip and fall on my butt and slide all the way to my bedroom. It hurts. I hit my arm on the door. I crawl on my hands and knees and have to use all my clean towels to mop it up. The washer is still leaking and I turn it off quick so it does not explode and kill me.
It is a very bad day.
My pajama bottoms are soaked. I must have made a lot of noise because Keith and Gary come running upstairs and bang on my door. I hear their voices so I know who it is. I am embarrassed, all dripping wet, and covered with Comet and laundry soap. I do not want to answer their knocks, but it is rude to pretend you are not home. I open the door and tell them what happened.
“My clothes are dirty. The washer is broken. There’s water all over the floor. I have nothing to wear. Gram is dead and there’s no one to help me.”
I cannot stop crying and get the hiccups. My eyes are swollen shut and I cannot see. Gary goes into my kitchen and brings me back a glass of water. He makes me sit on the couch and hands me a paper towel to wipe my face. Paper towels are rough and they hurt. It is better to use toilet paper, but I do not tell him that. It would hurt his feelings.
“Have you had anything to eat?” Keith asks. He looks around at the mess in my apartment. I am ashamed at my dirty place. My elbow throbs and my knee prickles.
“No,” I tell him. That is the truth. I forgot to buy my cereal.
Keith is my friend. He goes down to his boat and brings me back a Snickers candy bar and a navy blue sweatshirt and pair of jeans. Gary finds Gramp’s old belt in my drawer. Keith’s pants are too big for me. They drag on the floor, but I do not care. He helps throw my wet laundry in the back of Yo and drives me to Nick’s Laundromat. He keeps me company and we eat Cheetos while my laundry washes and dries. He even helps me fold everything.
“You let me know when you need help like this. You hear, Per?” Keith has to clear his throat three times.
“You
Similar Books
