C is for Clean

“Getting ready for the big day?”

“Don’t step there.  I just washed the floor.  Go round to the side and come in.  Else stand on the porch and talk.”

“Touchy.  I’ll stand and  watch.  Sides, I don’t have time today.  I’m going over to the Duke’s.  He’s having a potluck.  I got bread in the car.  Just wanted to know if you were coming.  In about half hour.”

“Sheesh.  Why you wanna drag me to all these socials?  I’m busy right now.”

“He’s having a going away party, for himself.  He decided to head out.  Guess you were right bout that.  Where’d you get that dress?”

“I’m cleaning it up for someone.  It’s not too bad.  There’s one spot won’t come out.  Been working on that for a couple days.  Looks like coffee.  Might have to cover it over.”

“Thought I saw someone wearing it at that dance over to the Hall last week.  Behind the building, yeah.  I tried to see who it was, too dark.  Sides, I was parking the car.  Don’t know why I didn’t just leave it at the front.  We left right away, everyone was pretty much wasted by the time we got there.”

“Why you wanna go to those anyways?  Nothing but trouble happens.  People get into quarrels over the least little thing.”

“Not much else to do round here.”

“I keep busy.  Fact, I have a few more things to do today.  I’m not going to that party.  I need to see the old lady on the ridge.  She might be able to help me get that stain out.”

“Why you working on it?  Seems like a lot of trouble.”

“Keeps me busy.  Anyways, that might not be coffee if you saw it over to the dance.  Thinking it has to be something else now, like one of those fancy drinks they keep serving over there.”

“Whose dress is it?”

“Don’t know.  Found it at the dump.  Ohh, not me.  You didn’t hear bout that?  Knock down, drag out fight and you didn’t hear?”

“I didn’t hear nothing.  What happened?”

“Herself didn’t tell you?  Well, I was on my way to the store when I heard them hollering.  When I got to the house, they were rolling around, each trying to hang onto a bag.  When I said I’d toss her out to the road, she left.  Then Patty said she found it down to the dump.  She found some stuff inside.  It was pretty dirty.  She’d tried to clean it.  Something stained it and she wants me to clean it.  I need to get busy on this.  Didn’t you say you were going to the Duke’s?  Bring me a plate, will you?”