John Budan

Bathtime

In the bitter Wisconsin winter, even the insides of our windows are covered with frost, while sharp winds whistle through the cracks of the walls. There is no electricity or running water.  Yet, twice each winter my mother insists that our family needs to bathe.

The tepid water is removed from the tiny wood stove and poured into a small,  galvanized basin.  My shivering sister is always the first to slip in and scrub with the caustic bar of homemade lye soap.  Within minutes my younger brother takes her place.  By the time I get in, the murky water is chilled.

winter blizzard
icicles gripping
a frozen pump
water buckets
fill with snow

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About the Author

John Budan has published widely. He lived in France where he found his alter ego Guignol in Paris at the Jardin du Luxembourg.