Rags for Sale!

Until he was about 5 years old, Steven, his parents, his older sister, Kathy, and his younger sister, Carol, lived in a brick bungalow on Keating Street in Chicago.

One of Steven's vivid memories is of a man in a horse-drawn wagon coming down the back alleyway shouting in a creaky old voice, "Rags for sale! Rags for sale!" This was in the late '50s/early '60s.

I remember my grandmother speaking of the "rag man" as well.

Back in the day, everyone recycled! It was a way of life that was just natural and normal.

In an effort to reduce paper towel usage, I've been using more "rags". Instead of paper towels or paper napkins at meals, we've been using cotton dish towels. They get kind of yucky after a day or two, especially considering how much pizza we eat, but there is something satisfying about using them.

Since we needed more than the pitiful two or three I already had, yesterday when I was in Wal-Mart I purchased 12 of what are now called "bar towels" for $5.50. I was pleased with that bargain.

I used one this morning to clean all the kitchen counter and table surfaces with vinegar and water, then threw the whole lot into the washer along with the cotton kitchen rugs, place mats, and a few other items.

Then I hung them out to dry on the line!

The few minutes I spent outdoors hanging clothes was really special. Yes, it was hot...over 90. But it was so quiet! No traffic noise, no noise from the neighbors. Just one bird singing, and Bits and Bubs asleep on the porch, and my Mr. Stripey heirloom tomato quietly growing in his 5-gallon bucket.

I don't get much alone time, so I really enjoyed hanging out the wash.

And now, a few hours later, it's time to bring in the fresh-smelling "rags" and rugs. What wonders will I discover on this visit outside?

As a postscript to Steven's life on Keating, we revisited the old house last Christmas Day, and went back into the alleyway where the rag man used to drive past shouting, "Rags for sale! Rags for sale!".