I did something today, that i’d never done before.
As usual, after eating, i put my plate aside. Then i turned and looked at it, and thought for a moment, and decided against all instinct, to follow Mim’s advice, and i picked up the plate, walked slowly – against my body’s natural tendencies – over to the dishwashing area. I at first nearly succumbed to my instincts, and placed the dirty dish in the sink and turned. But, for reasons as yet unknown to me, my left foot refused to turn. Once more i reflected on Mim’s advice. I looked at the dirty dish, sitting lonely in sink.
I then tried a more psychological approach. I said nearly out loud, that anyways, I’d done a whole lot of dishwashing today. Yes, it was that time of the week. And i had to wash for the need of a clean dish to cook in, something which i’d avoided all day, so as to not have to wash the dishes, until finally my stomach sent me a very stern warning, and i had to acquiesce.
The dish and I stayed engaged in this oddest of staredowns. And i continued to reason against myself: There is no hot water left. The inside of my plastic dishwashing gloves is wet. It’s a waste of water. It’s a holiday today. Did the americans ever REALLY land on the moon? I really need to get back to work on the Beethoven. Did i just hear on the radio taht Karl Malone made a 12 year old girl pregnant when he was 18? I really need to get dressed otherwise i’ll miss the 16hr showing of …. of……….of…….IRON MAN!
And yet the disk continued to look pleadingly at me with its one huge red plastic eye.
I suddenly felt an odd twitch in my right arm. It was moving. Ever so slowly, but ever so surely. I watched my hand in disbelief as i slowly extended itself, reached down into sink, for the red plate. Completely in shock by this odd movement of my arm, i was ambused by the movement, almost in concert, of my left hand towards the water tap.
I was in full panick mode by this time. What is going on? I knew i should have filed my taxes earlier….
My left hand, with uncanny post-meal dexterity turned on the hot water and immediately reached for the already-soapy-from-earlier-washing sponge.
And then … Then to my own shock, AND awe, i watched myself as i washed a dish, a single solitary dish, right after having eaten off of it.
20 seconds later it was done. I’d even put the disk in the rack to dry, something which i realized only after several seconds after seeing myself in the mirror standing immobile in front of an empty sink, sponge still in my hand and small trail of soapy warm water slowly making its way down my left arm.
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I guess Mim was right. It is easier to do one dish after the meal, than 20 after a week.
Who knows, i might even do it again sometime….no hurry.
