CHANGE OF LIFE - Chapter 19

 

On Wednesday morning, as soon as breakfast was finished, I sent Karen and Kaitlyn to look for dirty clothes in their room and their mother’s room. There was a dirty clothes hamper in the bathroom beside the washer, but I suspected that there were loose items in the closet, on the floor, and even under the bed in the girls’ room. They came back downstairs with an armful each of dirty clothes.

“Now, go up to your bedroom and take the sheets and pillow cases off your beds and then the sheets and pillow cases off your mother’s bed.”

They came back down with a mountain of linens.

“Okay, you have to learn to sort clothes. Karen, you do it for awhile and Kaitlynn will watch. Then you will switch places. I want you both to learn AND to make sure that you don’t make a mistake. You will have three piles – white things, dark things, and things that aren’t white and aren’t dark. Besides those three piles, you might come across something that doesn’t belong in the wash – like roller skates or an old sandwich (they giggled) or something too flimsy and delicate to go into a washing machine.”

The girls worked steadily until all the clothes were in three piles. I picked up the white things and put them into the washer. I set the settings on the washer, then I picked up the box of detergent.

“Karen, read the back of this box and tell me how much detergent we should put into the washer.”

Karen told me.

“Okay, go out to the kitchen and find the dry measuring cups.”

When Karen returned with the set of dry measures, I chose the correct one.

“Always put a little bit less than what the box says to put.”

I put the detergent into the machine and started it.

“Okay, you can read a book until the machine is finished this load.”

When the first load was finished, I called the girls to watch as I took it out and put in the next load. Then I had the girls help me carry the wet laundry downstairs and out to the clotheslines.

Karen asked, “Why are you putting them on the clotheslines when you could put them into the dryer?”

“The dryer is nice to have if it is raining or if it is a cold winter day. When you can hang them outside, it is cheaper and better. Cheaper - because the dryer takes a lot of electricity. Better - because the sun not only dries the clothes but it kills mold and bacteria. When we put these sheets on your beds again, smell them when you get into bed tonight. You will smell the sunshine and fresh air.”

About 3:00PM I took the girls outside to the clotheslines. I felt the clothes to make sure they were dry. Then I sent them upstairs several times carrying armloads of dry clothes and putting them on the couch. Karen and I worked together folding the sheets. I showed Kaitlynn how to fold the pillowcases, the towels and wash cloths. When the linens were folded, I had the girls carry the sheets and pillow cases upstairs and put them on the beds where they belonged. Then I had the girls fold their own clothes and take them upstairs and put them in their chest of drawers. I folded Maggie’s clothes myself and put them on a chair in her bedroom.  When Maggie came home, I told her the washing was finished. I offered to help her make up the beds.

“We can do that after supper. I’ve had a hard day and it appears that you have had a busy day. Let’s just sit down and rest a while.” 

She sat on the couch and her girls sat on either side of her, snuggled close. I was grateful for a time to rest and quickly dozed off.

That evening at the Halstead’s, Mrs. Halstead was quite cool with me.

“Dolly, I would appreciate it if you would mind your own business concerning our daughter.”

I was nonplussed, but made no reply. I had brought a book with very large print and Linda made very good progress, just in one evening. I decided to continue with this book for awhile and let the matter of eyeglasses ride.

When I arrived back at the house that evening, I took Maggie aside.

“I’d like for you to think about something. Let’s take the girls to the Navy Yard this Saturday. We could carry a picnic supper and just buy sodas there. We all could ride on the ferris wheel. Sunday is the Fourth of July so they will be having fireworks and band music Saturday night. It would really be marvelous to see fireworks out over the water. I will be glad to pay for it. I want to go but I want you all to be with me.”

“That sounds great. I’ll try to pay part of the cost. It is really gracious of you to offer to pay for it. I’ve heard of the Navy Yard amusement park but I’ve never been there. Let’s keep it a secret from the girls.”

Thursday evening Linda continued to make progress with her reading.

“I’m so proud of you, Linda.”

Linda beamed, then whispered, “My parents had a big row over eyeglasses for me. My father shouted that he didn’t want to hear anymore.

On Friday they delivered the futon. The delivery man assembled it, took the plastic cover off the mattress and put the mattress on the futon. I gave the man $20.

“Thank you very much, ma’am. Thank you.”

“Thank you. You did an excellent job and saved me some difficult work. I appreciate it.”

“Lots of folks appreciate and thank you, but not many say it with money!”

I put the sheets and pillows and comforter I had already bought on the futon. I had a chair to sit in so I would just leave it folded out as a bed.

That night I enjoyed sleeping in my queen size futon after weeks of sleeping on a couch

Saturday, Maggie had to work. I took the girls to Story Hour with me. I felt safe taking them on the street since Maggie had obtained the protective order. There was a large crowd of children for Story Hour but I did not see Linda Halstead there. After Story Hour the Librarian told me that there were more children borrowing books than at any time that she could remember.

As soon as Maggie came home, she and I busily made sandwiches and put them in our largest purses. We folded a blanket. Then we called the girls, told them to get ready that we were going to the Navy Yard. The girls jumped up and down with joy. By five o’clock we were on the el.

Inside the Navy Yard was like the midway at a circus. We decided to explore to find a good place to watch the fireworks. Then we took the girls to some rides. The girls went on the carousel and we all went on the ferris wheel. Maggie bought cotton candy for the girls. We walked around looking and listening to the strange sights and sounds.

The fireworks were to start at 9:30PM. About eight o’clock we started walking toward the grassy slope where we had decided to watch the fireworks. There were already people there. We spread our blanket and sat down. I remembered that we needed drinks. I ran back to the midway and bought two lemonades. We could share and that way hopefully not have to look for restrooms.

About nine a band started playing patriotic music. I recognized some Sousa marches. We were finished our sandwiches and lemonades. I took the trash and went looking for a container. As I was walking along, I saw Maggie’s estranged husband. Inside I chilled with fear. Had he seen me?  I kept my head down and walked away from him. As I was throwing the trash away, he said,

“I see you, you b****. That protective order isn’t going to mean s*** when I decide to come after you.”

I ran through the crowd going in a large circle back to Maggie and the girls.

“Dolores, whatever is wrong?”

“Nothing. I’ll be all right. I saw something that startled me.”

As time for the fireworks drew near, it became dark around us. People were like shadows. After the fireworks started, people would appear in red or green or blue or yellow for a moment. I couldn’t tell whether Sean O’Toole was near to us or not. One good thing about the darkness is that he couldn’t see us – or could he?

After the fireworks there were mobs of people, and they all wanted to get on one of the el trains. We finally were able to find a place in one of the cars of the train. We had to stand up. The girls seemed to be sleeping standing up. When we disembarked from the train there were still five blocks to walk to our house. The girls were whining. I tried to carry Kaitlynn but wasn’t able to go very far that way. It was midnight when we walked into our home.

I was looking forward to sleeping in the queen size futon. What a change it was from sleeping on the couch. I took a sponge bath back in the laundry sink of the first floor kitchen. It was a bracing experience since there was only cold water in that sink. Crawling into bed, I snuggled under the comforter and soon was sound asleep.

Someone yanked me by the hair and sat me up. I could see by  moonlight coming into the room that it was a man with a black hood on his head and a knife in his hand.

“I sure enjoyed that show you put on in the summer kitchen. There are no blinds and I was in the back yard. I told you that when I came after you that protective order wouldn’t be worth s***. I am going to rape you rough and hard and then I am going to cut up your face and body just enough that you will be dog ugly the rest of your life. If you scream, I’ll cut your tongue out.”

He pulled the comforter off of me and was ready to climb onto the futon. In an instant I kicked him as hard as I could in the groin. He started to fall toward me and I poked my fingers through the holes in his mask into his eyes. While he was cursing and screaming in pain, I grabbed a pile of books and hit him over the head. He crumpled to the floor. I pulled his mask off. It was Sean O’Toole.

I got my cell phone and called the police.

“This is Dolores Kosciuszko at 390 Armitage. Please send someone as quickly as possible. A man broke into my apartment and tried to rape me. He had a knife. I was able to kick him in the groin, poke my fingers in his eyes, and hit him over the head with some books. He is on the floor unconscious now, but I don’t know how long he will be down. I can’t face him again. I am going to go out on the sidewalk and wait for you.”

I picked up the knife with the hood and ran out onto the sidewalk and yelled,

“MAGGIE, MAGGIE.”

Maggie came to the window (which was open to let in the night breeze) and looked down at me on the sidewalk.

“Maggie, Sean broke into my apartment and tried to rape me. I got away from him and hit him over the head with some books. He was unconscious but I don’t know how long he will be.”

By that time sleepy neighbors were looking out their windows. Not too many minutes later a patrol car arrived. The policemen went inside with their guns drawn. They came out dragging Sean with them.

“What are you doing. This is my house. You don’t have a right to drag me out of my own house. Don’t listen to what that b**** says. She is crazy.”

One of the police took the hood and knife and put them into a plastic envelope. The other policeman took my statement. I told him about the protective order because of a previous assault, about his threat to me at the Navy Yard, and then what he had said and done when he broke into my apartment that night.

“I think that he will be sorry that he tangled with you.”

When it was all over, I went back to my apartment, checked the door locks, and straightened up. Then I sat in the chair crying. It was a hot summer night but I felt chilled.

“I wish that Willard could hold me, just now.”

The next day the girls were excited talking about their trip to the Navy Yard and the fireworks. Their excitement and happiness was a balm that helped to calm my troubled spirit. I helped them to look their best getting ready for Sunday School and church. I reminded them that they had washed the clothes that they were wearing that day,

“You were right – we could smell the sunshine in our sheets.”

Mrs. Halstead did not speak or even look at me in Sunday School. I was relieved when I could sit in the sanctuary with the girls. I needed to have my faith strengthened and renewed. The attempted rape and the coolness of Mrs. Halstead had taken away the joy I had begun to feel in my new life. I was beginning to doubt the decision I had made to leave Willard and Prattsville.