Assignment 3

Finally feeling caught up ( for now) on my assignments over at Just Write.


The cleaning lady


I met her in Target the other day when I was moseying down the cleaning products aisle. We got into a lengthy conversation about cleaning products: glass products, wood products, and the pros and cons of each one. She was average height with dirty blond hair, and had a hard look about her. I could only imagine her difficult life; it was etched in her face, the grimace from years of working two jobs and surviving two failed marriages. But then she quickly smiled, brought up her hand to cover her teeth, her bad teeth; and laughed, as if she was always laughing at herself.

I found myself staring at the vertical lines around her mouth, imagining her puffing on a butt while slugging down a beer on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon at the local pub, maybe even with a chaser of blackberry brandy. All of it aimed to numb the brain, cloud the judgment, make it possible for her to go home with yet another stranger from the bar.

She certainly was an expert on the art of housecleaning and she was intent on imparting her wisdom on me. I left without the products I came in for but with two that I was sure would transform my dusty, dirty house into a palace. If only I could’ve convinced her to come home with me and show me just how it’s done.