By: Ashley Lane
I wash clothes for a living. I know who have good and bad clothes. I know patches and who buy new clothes. While I'm washing clothes I learn people secrets from just washing their clothes. I wash their curtains, counterpanes, shirts, and skirts. I know that my husband was in the army, but sometimes I just wish his pension was more than six dollars. I wish he would stop talking about politics, and just come and help me wash clothes. I feel like we are being distanced because we never talk anymore. All he do when he comes home from the streets are just look at his old war pictures, which I just think are very stupid. I have realized from washing people's clothes that once you have patched up on the patches, there is no other way to patch holes anymore. I can't even use the soap anymore to get out the stains. It's not my fault that there are unwanted colors in women's dresses. When I have to wash handkerchiefs, and table napkins, I also find that they also have their own type of secrets. Everyone knows me in this empty town, knows me and the type of easy and normal life that I have. I know of everyone that has died, that have lived in Spoon River. Every time I see a dead face I think of their face or clothing being ironed or washed. I wish that I could just stay home and play with my grandchildren. I wish I had kids. I wish that I, just wish that I had finished school and went to college to be a pediatrician.
"Hortense Robbins"
By: Brandon Brown
It used to be a time when I had all the attention. I stayed on everyone's mind and everyone's TV screen. It was never a problem; but more of an accomplishment. Now that it's all over, I sit at home every day. I decided to get up after watching TV all day long. I went out to lunch by myself to try forgettin about the past. Someone walked up to me with a curious face. This face was seen far too much. I could predict exactly what was coming. Another former fan that recognized me. There has alway been a difference in my past life and now. I was the talk of the town before; but now there's no one interested. The few that do only say "hi" and move along with their day. As I walked through the town, all the memories started to haunt me. I couldn't think where everything started to go wrong and I didn't want to. As I went home, I picked up the pieces. And my adventure finally began all over.