All her life, my mother wanted busy children.
All
her
life
,
my
mother
wanted
busy
children
.
It was very important that her house should remain at all things clean and tidy.
It
was
very
important
that
her
house
should
remain
at
all
things
clean
and
tidy
.
You could turn your back for a moment in my mother's house, leave a half written letter on the dining room table, a magazine open on the chair, and turn around to find that my mother had "put it back where it belonged."
You
could
turn
your
back
for
a
moment
in
my
mother
's
house
,
leave
a
half
written
letter
on
the
dining
room
table
,
a
magazine
open
on
the
chair
,
and
turn
around
to
find
that
my
mother
had
``
put
it
back
where
it
belonged
.
''
as she explained.
as
she
explained
.
My wife, on one of her first visits to my mother's house, placed a packet of biscuits on an end table and went to the kitchen to fetch a drink.
My
wife
,
on
one
of
her
first
visits
to
my
mother
's
house
,
placed
a
packet
of
biscuits
on
an
end
table
and
went
to
the
kitchen
to
fetch
a
drink
.
When she returned, she found the packet had been removed.
When
she
returned
,
she
found
the
packet
had
been
removed
.
Confused, she set down her drink and went back to the kitchen for more biscuits, only to return to find that her drink had disappeared.
Confused
,
she
set
down
her
drink
and
went
back
to
the
kitchen
for
more
biscuits
,
only
to
return
to
find
that
her
drink
had
disappeared
.
Up to then she had guessed that everyone in my family held onto their drinks, so as not to make water rings on the end tables.
Up
to
then
she
had
guessed
that
everyone
in
my
family
held
onto
their
drinks
,
so
as
not
to
make
water
rings
on
the
end
tables
.
Now she knows better.
Now
she
knows
better
.
These disappearances had a confusing effect on our family.
These
disappearances
had
a
confusing
effect
on
our
family
.
We were all inclined to forgetfulness, and it was common for one of us, upon returning from the bathroom, to find the every sign of his work in progress had disappeared suddenly.
We
were
all
inclined
to
forgetfulness
,
and
it
was
common
for
one
of
us
,
upon
returning
from
the
bathroom
,
to
find
the
every
sign
of
his
work
in
progress
had
disappeared
suddenly
.
"Do you remember what I was doing?"
``
Do
you
remember
what
I
was
doing
?
''
was a question frequently asked, but rarely answered.
was
a
question
frequently
asked
,
but
rarely
answered
.
Now my sister has developed a second-hand love of cleaning windows, and my brother does the cleaning in his house, perhaps to avoid having to be the one to lift his feet.
Now
my
sister
has
developed
a
second-hand
love
of
cleaning
windows
,
and
my
brother
does
the
cleaning
in
his
house
,
perhaps
to
avoid
having
to
be
the
one
to
lift
his
feet
.
I try not to think about it too much, but I have at this later time started to dust the furniture once a week.
I
try
not
to
think
about
it
too
much
,
but
I
have
at
this
later
time
started
to
dust
the
furniture
once
a
week
.
All her life, my mother wanted busy children. It was very important that her house should remain at all things clean and tidy.  You could turn your back for a moment in my mother's house, leave a half written letter on the dining room table, a magazine open on the chair, and turn around to find that my mother had "put it back where it belonged." as she explained.  My wife, on one of her first visits to my mother's house, placed a packet of biscuits on an end table and went to the kitchen to fetch a drink. When she returned, she found the packet had been removed. Confused, she set down her drink and went back to the kitchen for more biscuits, only to return to find that her drink had disappeared. Up to then she had guessed that everyone in my family held onto their drinks, so as not to make water rings on the end tables. Now she knows better.  These disappearances had a confusing effect on our family. We were all inclined to forgetfulness, and it was common for one of us, upon returning from the bathroom, to find the every sign of his work in progress had disappeared suddenly. "Do you remember what I was doing?" was a question frequently asked, but rarely answered.  Now my sister has developed a second-hand love of cleaning windows, and my brother does the cleaning in his house, perhaps to avoid having to be the one to lift his feet. I try not to think about it too much, but I have at this later time started to dust the furniture once a week.