Critters
The other day when cleaning sesame seeds and peppercorns from the plastic silverware tray, I noticed the varied assortment of forks and spoons we’ve collected over the years: a fork and butter knife from my late mother, spoons from IKEA, and various pieces from the first set of dinnerware we had over 45 years ago in our first home.
We lived in a two bedroom, one bathroom ranch in North Royalton, Ohio. The kitchen had a bread drawer with a sliding cover that had a hole just big enough for a finger. I thought it was nifty. Then something strange happened: a rough tear in the bread wrapper. I supposed Don had carelessly tossed the bread into the drawer and caught the wrapper (and the edge of the bread, which was also torn) in the slider. How else would a young, first-time homeowner make sense of such a tear?
A few days later I noticed tiny black specks in the silverware drawer. It took me a few moments to connect the dots, or the little black turds, as they were. I screamed, more horrified than if I’d seen a mouse.
Which reminds me, it wasn’t until our first born had me up at night to nurse him that I spotted a strange bug I’d never seen before dashing across the walls of that house, too.
And other stuff
We have a lot of other stuff in our silverware drawer, too. Bag clips from IKEA, chip clips, a plastic coated baby spoon, straws, a mesh tea strainer on a chain that my grandson likes to fiddle with, and a basting brush.
I asked my friends what they have in their silverware drawers and compiled an extensive and interesting list.
- Rubber bands
- ohashi (aka chopsticks)
- corkscrew
- lids and straws to sippy cups
- binder clips
- can opener
- straws
- hammer, tape measure, electrical tape (someone needs a proper junk drawer)
- “those pointy things that go in corn cobs”
- skewers
- lobster shell crackers and lobster meat picks (someone is living large)
- crumbs
- lighter
- peeler
- scissors
None of what we have in our silverware drawer is actually silver, of course. I guess you’d call it flatware or dinnerware. I only get stressed when we have company and I can’t make matching sets. There are two complete sets of dessert forks, however, which makes me wonder: where have the regular forks and spoons run off too? Why is there not four of any one set?
The good news is we have no turds in the drawers.
Thank you for visiting!
Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a writer, poet, and artist.
Learn more about her multi-award winning novel, In the Context of Love.
Learn more about her picture book, Gordy and the Ghost Crab.
Learn more about her poetry chapbook, Security