The Muse

Cecilia sat on the porch drinking iced tea and watching the wash that she had hung on the line blowing in the wind. She noticed that wind had picked up in the last few minutes. This concerned her only because she also knew that her wash was not dry yet. She would have to get it off or wash it all again because of the dust. There would be a dust storm this afternoon. She would not have to wait much longer.

She stood up quickly and grabbed her basket. In her haste she had knocked her glass down and it shattered across the porch. She had to move fast to get the wash, the glass would have to wait. She looked out into the field and saw Wendell stand up. He began to walk toward the house. Cecilia hoped that he would remember that she had put the wash out this morning because it would take her a long time to get it all in the basket.

She had been in the mood to wash their clothes, the sheets, and the kitchen curtains. She had planned to wash the sitting room curtains this afternoon, but if the storm was long that would not happen. She began to pull the clothes off the line quickly hoping to beat the storm, but could feel the wind picking up faster now. The storm was coming and quickly. That usually meant that it would be followed by a thunderstorm and possible a tornado. They had never had a tornado touchdown on their property, but the people down the road had. So she and Wendell had been able to watch the funnel cloud close-up.

Just as she started on the sheets, Wendell came running up. "Cec, I think this is going to be a big one. I could see it off in the distance when I got up to come in. We better hurry and get in the house."

Cecilia and Wendell began pulling the sheets and curtains off the line. Cecilia was cursing the dirt. Now she would have to rewash everything. All her morning work was spoiled. She would have to do it all over again. She had been hoping to get finished early today and sit down and read while Wendell played the piano in the sitting room. Now her work would go on into the night and she would not have time to read before dark.

While Cecilia was lost in angry thoughts Wendell got everything else off the line. As if he had been reading her mind he turned to her and said, "Cec, I will help you with the wash so you can read this afternoon."

"Thanks, Wendell. I really wanted to read that new book you brought me from town the other day."

" I know, let's hurry and get inside." Wendell said quickly.