Splish Splash

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The next morning I was up in my room running laundry across the clothes line outside my window. The previous night, or morning, I didn't make it to bed until well past 1:00am. However, I made sure to set my alarm clock to the innocent time of 7:00am before going to sleep. Once it went off, I jumped in the shower and rinsed off the mildewy film coating my hair and arms. The charade continued on through breakfast, and my mom was none the wiser to my midnight escapades. But as I sat there pinning laundry around noon, a series of yawns seemed to rise endlessly from my mouth and an overall tired feeling hung over me.

Downstairs, the phone rang and my mother shuffled around to pick it up.

"Eleanor," My mom yelled from downstairs, "It's Bonnie."

I finished pinning the wet skirt in my hands and quickly jogged down the stairs. I smiled at my mom as she handed me the phone and went back to dusting her bedroom. It amazed me that on her one off day she'd rather spend it elbow deep in dust bunnies.

"Hey, Bonnie," I said.

"Okay, so should I get a baby doll or should I wear my ballerina swim dress?"

"What?"

"I mean I've had the ballerina swim dress since I was like...fifteen, but the baby doll looks really cute."

"Bonnie, what are you talking about?"

"A swimsuit for Jack's party tonight!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Oh jeez, that's tonight?" I thought. "How could I have possibly forgotten that?"

"Ha ha, I'm fractured. Like you forgot about Mr. Dreamboat. I'm serious Ellie, I have no idea what to wear."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I don't think I even own a swimsuit,"

"Oh! Well, then let's go shop for some together," Bonnie said, "If you want, my mom can take us. She'll be going to Sears anyway."

"Doesn't she have to go to work today?"

"No, somebody came in this morning and offered to clean the grease traps for all the lunch ladies, so she'll be home early. What's your address?"

"Forty-nine Oaks Street."

"Forty-nine Oaks, got it. Okay, we'll pick you sometime before one."

"Okay see you then, Bonnie,"

"Bye, Ellie,"

I sat the phone back on the hook with a clank.

"Hey, mom!" I shouted, "Jack's party is tonight so Bonnie's mom is coming to take Bonnie and I shopping for swimsuits this afternoon."

"Alright," She replied from her bedroom, "There's a ten in my purse. But, Ellie, you better be done with that laundry before she gets here, or your gonna have a musty-smelling mess to rewash when you get back."

I clicked my tongue and scoffed with a laugh, shaking my head. I reached around the counter top to her purse and pulled out the ten before running back up the stairs.

~

"So, Bonnie," I said as we walked into the store, "Your mom seems pretty nice."

Bonnie's mother was a stiff and quiet lady, much the opposite of her voluble daughter. The whole car ride to a nearby Sears was done in total silence, as Bonnie's mother neither spoke nor allowed the radio to play. Her face just focused ahead with a calm, content expression upon it. Bonnie sat equally still and quiet until we were dropped off.

"Yeah, she's a bit of a stickler for quiet and order," Bonnie replied, "We don't own a TV and the phone is only allowed for "imperative circumstances" as she puts it. She says it's important for people to appreciate the world as an observer."

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