Notes from Perry Street: ‘You Know You Are Becoming Your Dad When …’
By JOHN A. WINTERS, Publisher
You get on this whole serious discussion about the dishwasher and the proper loading of said device.
With four boys, my dad was constantly informing us “you will help your mother.” A lot of that had to do with cleaning up the dishes, as well as the pots and pans. This was back in the days before Teflon® (insert trademark here so lawyers don’t write letters) coating was on pots and pans.
In other words, those old SOS® pads (insert trademark here …) were what we used. Oh, and “scouring pads.” I also remember needing a lot of “elbow grease.”
Kids have it so easy today. Basically spit on the super no-stick whatever material and wipe it down with a paper towel.
Part of cleaning as you go was putting things away after cleaning them or if needed, into the dishwasher. There are distinct rules about loading dishwashers. One does not put in large pots and pans, those are for the aforementioned “elbow grease” method.
And, gawd forbid, putting drinking cups on the bottom rack goes beyond any form of common sense. Doing so means the water from the bottom sprayers will hit the cups and go no farther.
And let’s make sure we are all on the same page about putting utensils together in their little compartments. Knives with knives, forks with forks and so on. Dad was adamant that forks and spoons face up – eating side up – and handles went in first because – you could fit more in the compartment. He relented on knives and we were allowed to put the sharp blade down so we would not stab ourselves.
Let’s face it, you can tell a lot about someone’s personality just by looking inside their dishwasher. And right about now one spouse is looking at the other and going … “see, even Winters knows.”
We have three boys, most know them as the SONS of Thunder, for various and obvious reasons.
The Eldest is a Captain in the U.S. Army. His dishwasher is in perfect alignment. Neat rows of dinner plates, another for smaller plates. There are specific spots for bowls, cups and glasses. Everything is in order.
Middle is pretty much the polar opposite of his older sibling and having everything in order is just not on his radar. He has other interests and can walk by the bag of garbage by the front door multiple times without even considering it might need to go out to the trash can. Pots, pans, cups on the bottom row, he doesn’t really see the issue. And rinsing off beforehand? That would be a “no.”
Youngest is the carefree, Bob Marley “everything is gonna be alright” one. He is the calming influence and just takes everything in stride. He looks at the dishwater, everything that needs to go in and just figures out how to make it all fit. Won’t be perfect, but that really doesn’t matter, because everything is gonna be alright. He at least does not put pots in the dishwasher.
And then there is Mom, the Little Black Dress.
And If you think I am going there … not happening.
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Until next time.
