Life Cycle of a Dish Towel

Upon joining our household the new towel is subjected to much admiration, petting, and occasional draping over-the-arm for inspection. It is introduced to the family, who must say only nice things about it (who knows how long this one will be a part of their lives?). The towel is then laundered and tucked gently into the towel drawer. When brought out during the first month or two, it is only used for drying dishes or clean hands, after which it is sent to the hamper for towel yoga before being treated to a hot bath, sauna or suntanning, and a nap back in the drawer before being pulled out again the next day.

As time goes by, the towel is integrated into normal towel life. When first removed from the drawer, it it used for drying dishes and clean hands, as it was during the honeymoon period. The towel, looking forward to its customary spa treatment after use, gets a shock when it is hung from the oven door instead of heading to the hamper. Another towel is pulled from the drawer, and the first must watch in dismay as the other is used in its presence.

The first towel has little time to recover from this turn of events before another surprise is thrust upon it. Are those hands that now fondle it most intimately slightly greasy? Did the person use soap or just rinse? Oh! Are these bits of flour adhering to its warp and weft? The indignity!

The towel may then be subjected to pushing bits of food off of counters and into the trash can, or even dropped onto the floor for foot-mopping water spills. The once proud cloth despairs briefly before resigning itself to a life of hard labor. Its only relief is found in the spa sessions to which it is still regularly treated, and to increasingly longer naps in the drawer with its fellow workers. It may try in vain to warn newer acquisitions about what to expect, but the young ones never listen.

An experienced towel may find itself supporting bowls in which things are being stirred, being soaked to cover dough in the refrigerator, getting snapped out to kill flies, or even being called in as a substitute for an oven mitt. These adventures fuel its dreams as time passes.

If it serves well, it may look forward to longer periods of rest in the rag bin, where it can spend its golden years trading well-earned stories with bits of t-shirts, pants, and bath towels before being sent for recycling.