justwrite 15 november

Washing the dishes, as the green apple detergent seems to agree, is The Right Thing To Do. Three sets of plates covered in various stages of creamed chicken and biscuits, as well as salad bowls, utensils, and cookware, are The Right Things To Wash.

Whitney is awash in The Right Things.

Not for the first time, Whitney subconsciously enjoys doing the dishes. Like mowing the lawn—a paid task, not a rotated chore—washing the dishes provides an opportunity for contemplation not otherwise afforded by other activities or even by lack of activity. If she were to just sit on the back porch staring out into elsewhere and thinking about whatever came to mind, and her mother came out to see what she was doing, Whitney’s activity might be described as “being lazy” or possibly indicative of some concern. “I’m concerned about Whitney,” her mother would tell her father. “Why?” “It’s like she’s always thinking.” Her father would laugh. “Good! That’s our daughter.” Whitney’s mother would shake her head. By doing this, she wouldn’t be indicating that Whitney was not their daughter. In fact, she is. Whitney’s mother would shake her head to indicate her confusion over the need of both her husband and her daughter to spend so much time thinking about things. Whitney’s mother would not recognize this same trait in herself if she had it. In fact, she does. Why else would she be spending so much time thinking about Whitney’s thinking?