The Remarkable Fools Letter

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The steam cleaner
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The steam cleaner

A riff on futility

Jim Dalling
Nov 19, 2021
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When the others were away, the upholstery cleaner arrived.

It’s a device that I’ve wanted for some time.

With it, I cleaned the grey chair and the grey sofa.

The grey chair turned out to be a green one. This was underneath the cat hair and the filth.

The grey sofa was actually grey as well. The interesting brown ‘marbling’ patterns disappeared.

The water in the upholstery cleaner?

It was black.

Now that the others are back, the chair and sofa are covered with animal hairs again.

The stains are not far behind.

Cleaning can seem like such a futile action.

Attempting to create order in chaos in order to keep things from getting cluttered seems like an endless task.

Me vs entropy?

Entropy - the tendency for things to fall apart - always wins.

And?

There’s great satisfaction to be found in emptying the filthy water of a steam cleaner.

It’s absurd.

And we keep waking up.

We keep trying.

And the messes are infinite.

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Heather Anne
Nov 19, 2021Liked by Jim Dalling

I expect my home will be it's most clean and organized about 5 years after I am a retired widow with adult children who occasionally call when the guilt of not calling their mother gets too strong. I take delight in the messes of a home filled with people I love. I also delight in our steam cleaner and the glory of a new "clean spot". But I love the messes best.

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