KETTLE
CALLS THE POT BLACK
THE
OTHER DAY AS I WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN, I TRIPPED ON ONE OF
JOHNNIE’S SHOES. SHE IS ALL THE TIME LEAVING HER SHOES SETTING
AROUND WHERE EVER SHE KICKS THEM OFF.
IN A
LITTLE WHILE JOHNNIE CAME INTO THE KITCHEN TO FIX SUPPER. I HAD
BEEN SITTING IN THE DEN READING A BOOK WHEN THE DOOR BELL RANG AND
I LAID MY BOOK ON THE COFFEE TABLE, WHEN I WENT TO ANSWER THE
DOOR.
IT WAS
THE PAPER BOY COLLECTING FOR THE NEWS PAPER. I TOLD HIM TO WAIT A
MINUTE AND I WOULD WRITE HIM A CHECK. I GOT OUR CHECK BOOK OUT OF
A KITCHEN CABINET DRAWER AND A PEN AND SAT DOWN AT THE COFFEE
TABLE AND WROTE HIM A CHECK. I LEFT THE CHECK BOOK AND PEN ON THE
COFFEE TABLE AND WALKED BACK TO THE DOOR AND GAVE THE BOY HIS
CHECK.
AS I
WALKED BACK INTO THE DEN THE TELEPHONE RANG AND JOHNNIE THREW DOWN
HER DISH RAG AND ANSWERED IT. SHE TOLD ME IT WAS PAT AND HE
WANTED TO TALK TO ME. I TOLD HER I WOULD GO IN THE OFFICE TO TAKE
THE CALL. JOHNNIES DISH RAG HAD MISSED THE CABINET AND FALLEN ON
THE FLOOR. SHE DIDN’T BOTHER TO PICK IT UP, SHE JUST GRABBED
ANOTHER OFF THE TOWEL RACK.
AFTER
JOHNNIE GOT A CASSEROLE IN THE OVER SHE WALKED OVER TO HER LOUNGE
CHAIR IN THE DEN AND PICKED UP THE NEWSPAPER. SHE SAT DOWN AND
STARTED READING THE PAPER. THEN SHE SAW OUR CHECK BOOK LYING ON
THE COFFEE TABLE. SHE THREW THE PAPER ON THE FLOOR AND PICKED THE
CHECK BOOK UP AND CAME INTO THE OFFICE.
I HAD
JUST HUNG UP THE PHONE AND JOHNNIE SHOOK THE CHECK BOOK AT ME AND
SAID, ”HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO KEEP THIS HOUSE CLEAN WHEN YOU JUST
THROW THINGS DOWN ANY WHERE?”
“I
HAVEN’T HAD A CHANCE TO PUT THE CHECK BOOK UP YET” I ANSWERED.
JOHNNIE STOMPED OFF BACK TO THE KITCHEN TO CHECK ON HER
CASSEROLE. I FOLLOWED ALONG BEHIND HER. WHEN SHE GOT BACK TO THE
KITCHEN SHE THREW THE CHECK BOOK ON THE CABINET COUNTER AND OPENED
THE OVEN DOOR TO LOOK AT HER CASSEROLE. I PICKED UP THE CHECK
BOOK AND PUT IT BACK INTO THE DRAWER WHERE WE KEPT IT.
AFTER
CHECKING THE CASSEROLE JOHNNIE TURNED AROUND AND WAS STILL GIVING
ME HECK ABOUT LEAVING THINGS LYING AROUND INSTEAD OF PUTTING THEM
UP. I POINTED TO JOHNNIES SHOE LYING ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR, THEN
TO THE DISH TOWEL AND THEN TO THE NEWSPAPER AND ASKED, “IS THE
KETTLE CALLING THE POT BLACK?”
WELL
WHAT HER ANSWER WAS WOULD BE A WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT
TIME BUT YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS SO I WON’T
WRITE IT.
COPYRIGHT
2004
