Note: This is a story I started to write but didn't finish. I wrote it in July 1999.
The Washing Lady
In one end of the basement sat the washing machine and dryer at the other a small TV, CD player and on a desk a computer. The washing machine bumped along nosily washing a load of clothes, spinning them round and around. The lady sat at the computer typing away chatting on the Internet. Her full attention on the screen of scrolling text, ignoring the sound of the washing machine at the other end of the room.
Dove as they called her on the internet didn’t like doing the washing so she saved it up and only did it when she had too late at night. Her friends would make jokes about her spending her free time with the washing machine. Still she had to wash and wash she did.
There was a seat near the washing machine where Dove would sometimes read when it was slow on the Internet. It was one of those quiet nights so she signed off the net pulled out the book someone had bought for her last birthday, turned the lamp on and opened to the page where she’d left off.
“Elizabeth cleaned the study carefully there were many important papers and other items in the study that Elizabeth knew she had to be careful when cleaning them” Dove thought to herself at least Elizabeth didn’t have do the washing like her. “Elizabeth remembered that the grand ball was on in two days, she wanted to go but they wouldn’t have a cleaner at ball now would they.”
Dove was tired, she’d been working hard all week and it became more difficult to read the book. “Elizabeth entered the bedroom of Katrina and looks around, she’d like to have a room like this. The Bed is huge with pretty pink sheets, a dressing table, full length mirror and cupboards full of beautiful dresses. Elizabeth loves the bed it is so comfortable looking that she thinks that she could go to sleep forever.” Dove thinks to herself she could go to sleep forever the way she’s feeling. “Elizabeth checks in the hallway to make sure there is no one around. She closes the door and walks over to the bed. She feels the pillows with her hand she looks around the room once again and no one is around. Elizabeth lays her head on the pillow and drifted off to sleep.”
Dove feels some tugging at her arm. “Come on Dove if Katrina catches you sleeping in here you’ll be fired on the spot” a familiar voice says. “We’ve got to get out of here” the voice says “you’ve got some washing to do, you’re the washing lady.”
