Sunday, June 05, 2011

Why My Life is Better Than Yours

Reason #9

Every day, people I barely know stop me on the street and ask me... They say, "Malott, your life is obviously better than mine. Can you tell me why?" Usually I just push them out of my way, especially if they're old, female, and feeble.

But there are times when I take a moment and try to pass on a tiny bit of perfection to those less worthy.

This is one of those times.

Reason #9:  I have a clothesline. 


When I was growing up clotheslines were found everywhere in the neighborhood, and on summer afternoons they were regularly populated with sheets, pillow slips, and the familiar clothing my friends wore.   Some had fancy clothespin bags, while some mothers just made-do by stuffing their apron pockets full of clothespins.

I have two kinds of clothespins.


I'm sure there was a clothespin manufacturer in America when I was a boy.  But now they would be made in China.  And they would be plastic.

Last Monday mine was probably the only property in town that had bedsheets on the line, billowing in the warm breeze.  And when I went to bed that night, I'm pretty sure I was lying between the best smelling sheets in town.

But I guess people like you will just have to suffer with Downy, Snuggle, and other pathetic substitutes for excellence.

I hope this little peek into... what it's like to be me... brought a moment of sunlight to your dark little world. I hope it added a scintilla of joy to your meager and pointless life.


....

4 comments:

Bekah said...

My meager and pointless life has indeed been enriched today. :) Oh MEMORIES! When i was little, Mom used to hang sheets on the line and I would hide in between them on the really hot days and let their coolness slap against me while they blew in the wind. (Until she found me getting the clean sheets dirty...lol!)

Malott said...

Miss B,
Our family was obviously poorer than yours, because we had just a single line, so there was no hiding between the sheets for me. My game was to run under the sheets when the wind lifted them up.

Delta R. Vines said...

Hanging up the clothes on the clothesline wasn't as fun - especially if it was 100 degrees outside, or if it was cold. If it was super cold, then we would put lines up in the dining room and hang clothes up on them. Those were days in my life when most people we know didn't have a dryer.

We did use fabric softener, btw. And the clothes did smell best when they dried outside. (smile)

Malott said...

Delta,

In the winter, Mom put the wash on wooden racks in the utility room... And I'm glad you had the experience of smelling line-dried fabrics!