The Soap Dispenser

I kept staring at it, wondering if it could truly function as advertised. The caption read “For filthy hands that need immediate and complete cleanliness”. It had been one of my more useful finds on Ebay. But this task would stretch the product’s outer limits of capacity and mystique.

Last night he screamed at me (he always screamed at me) and broke so many of the packages I ordered. Many of my purchases had been useful when extended beyond intention, especially that giant plastic garbage bag. There was reason to be hopeful. Then again how could I compare the successful stretching of an impromptu body bag, to this need to eliminate so much blood; blood from that “only sold on tv” fish scaling knife.

An inanimate object, but I was counting on it to make me clean and renew my very being. Rather a lot to ask of a soap dispenser. I remember the afternoon I bought it. I was exhausted and sore from the fight we had the previous night. Little did I know it would be our penultimate one. Pretty slow at work so I was searching the web as I did more frequently than I should. I saw it in the section marked “Recommendations”. A glass bottle with a copper colored pumping spout and lemon scented liquid soap. I imagined all that fresh smelling foam popping from the spout. After more items and dollars, I satisfied my shopping urge. Five days later I placed it above my kitchen sink next to the asprin and bandages.

Now I pump the handle and cover my hands with the fresh bubbles. Harshly rubbing then together under lukewarm water I watch the red stream into the drain. No more blood, nor more fighting, no more shopping. It worked.