Cold Water Raining Between Them

Annie has a nice washing machine now but she remembers the one her mother had with the wringer, the old-fashioned kind. Her mother took in washing and when the washing machine would break Annie would become half the wringer. Mother would hold the waist of wet pants and Annie would grip the cuffs and they’d twist in opposite directions, the cold water raining between them. Each pair of farmer’s pants put food on the table. With six kids food was important. To this day Annie smiles when she remembers her Mother never had to use a pants stretcher in winter to make her ironing a little bit easier. She’d hang the pants out in the yard and they’d freeze straight on the line. Donal Mahoney