A Mop and some Ajax

I had noticed the smell for a few days now, and I’m pretty sure my flatmates had too. Each time we opened the cupboard doors beneath the sink a horrible smell would waft to our noses. Melanie equated it to cat urine. It reminded me of the smell coming from our freezer in the Philippines the time a typhoon took our power out for two weeks straight. For about two days now I’d been meaning to take out the garbage, but somehow I just never found the time. I think Melanie and Angelika had the same intentions, and each time we opened that cupboard door we were reminded of the fact that no one had put their thoughts into actions. If my roommates were thinking like I was, they were both hoping that someone else would get fed up with it and take it out first.

This afternoon, as I walked into the flat after class, I noticed two big paper bags full of garbage and recycling sitting in our entryway. Yeah, I really need to take those out, I’ll take them when I make my Willy’s run I thought. I walked back to my room to unload my books and paused to say hi to Melanie.

“Sometime, when you have time Bonita, would you help me take the recycling out?” She asked.

“Of course! Just let me know when you want to!” I replied.

An hour later we were bundled up and gathering the bags in the entryway. I stuffed some old newspapers into one of the two paper bags and then picked them both up. Melanie held the two plastic bags and went to get the door. As I turned to walk out after Melanie I noticed a trickle of brown juice trailing from one of my paper bags and I stopped. I looked at Melanie and she rushed out the door. Okay, we’re going to make a mad dash and leave a trail down the stairs. This’ll work…if I hurry. I hadn’t even finished my first step towards the door again when the bottom fell out of the paper bag and the contents of it lay sprinkled on the floor beside me. I looked at Melanie, not sure what to do, and laughing, she quickly went and got a new bag which we put the garbage in. Then we hurried out the door and down to the recycling before any more mishaps could happen.

When we got back to the flat I noticed Melanie and I had two very different ways of tackling the nasty smell that had begun to overtake our home. Melanie went for the mop to clean up the puddles while I opened a couple windows and lit all the candles I could find. Don’t worry though, that’s not my solution to every cleaning issue! After I’d lit the candles, I went to that kitchen sink and opened those lousy cupboards that won’t close properly, pulled out some gloves, Ajax and a sponge and attacked the original source of that lousy smell. Between the two of us, that flat was pretty close to being completely rid of the odor by the time Angelika came home to find a damp, but clean, floor and candles lit everywhere.

And somehow, this garbage juice escapade put me in a great mood and made me feel that much closer to Melanie. They say you bond through hardships...

Now we can throw our trash away without choking on the gag reflex. Perhaps this time we’ll learn.

Candle Light

Isn’t it amazing how sounds can carry a person back in time at a moment’s notice? The other night I was sitting at my computer working on a paper. Only my desk lamp was on and an orange and cinnamon flavoured candle burned on my coffee table behind me. I started hearing some crackling noises coming from the table and turned to stare at the candle. Suddenly I was back in Bolinao, sitting with the family around the dining room table. Mom had a book in her hand and Nathan on her lap. Her right hand absentmindedly scratched Nathan’s head as her left held the book she was reading by candle light during the brownout. A nearly empty bowl of popcorn sat near Dad who was methodically chewing on the old maids. Two glass one liter coke bottles sat on the Lazy Susan and tupperware glasses in puddles of condensation sat in front of each person. Seven dice sat silent beside one of the glasses and the scorecard and pencil lay next to another, just close enough that the corner of the paper was damp. The boys were playing with the wax from a few of the candles, re-melting it in the flame and watching the pool overflow and drip down the sides, silently dipping their fingers in the hot puddles to make imprints. The candle light cast a soft glow on everyone’s faces, reddened by the expedition to the beach that afternoon, as each stared quietly into the candles’ flames as their souls flew to Narnia with Eustace and Lucy. It’s amazing to me how one simple sound can carry such strong memories.