Washing the Front Door Step
Older members of the community will remember the days when women washed their front door steps regularly. A number of years ago I was given a bluing stone by my next-door neighbour Mrs Bronwen Pendry, sadly she is no longer with us. Bronwen explained the procedure for stoning, firstly the doorstep is scrubbed clean with soap and water and then rinsed, the next feat is to rub the bluing stone across the slate doorstep leaving in a white film, then finish off the task by wiping the slate slab with a clean wet cloth.
I remember reading a story some time ago about an elderly lady called Mrs Jones, who became known for scrubbing her doorstep religiously every week. Mrs Jones lived in the same street since her marriage over 52 years ago. In her lifetime she’d seen quite a number of changes in the neighbourhood, the decline in health of some elderly neighbours and others who moved on for various reasons. As the years went by Mrs Jones became the longest residing resident in the street, with influx of the younger generation now living in the street Mrs Jones didn’t seem to have much in common with her new neighbours.
As life carried on by, Mrs Jones still kept up her regular routine of washing her doorstep once a week, this ritual seemed to cause the younger women in the street to make comment and Mrs Jones became the object of ridicule from the young neighbours, who thought Mrs Jones’ weekly ritual was out dated. They would whisper uncomplimentary comments about Mrs Jones, but her neighbours’ mockery had no affect on Mrs Jones, she carried on her household chore despite the opinions of nearby residents.
Every week the women would make some comment about Mrs Jones clean doorstep, until one week, when one of the young neighbours noticed Mrs Jones doorstep hadn’t been scrubbed. This bit of gossip seemed to cause Mrs Jones young neighbours some amusement, the next week and the week after Mrs Jones doorstep still hadn’t been cleaned. The amusement of Mrs Jones young neighbours turned to concern and guilt, so the police were called, after breaking down the door of Mrs Jones house, the police found Mrs Jones lying on the floor, the coroner established Mrs Jones had died three weeks previously.
Mrs Jones death affected her young neighbours in a way they didn’t expect, though they mocked Mrs Jones for her doorstep ritual it had become part of their street life. Unknowingly to Mrs Jones and her young neighbours she had became their responsibility, through the customary ritual of checking her doorstep, this became evident when Mrs Jones’ dirty doorstep triggered off a concern for her welfare, to which residents immediately called for the police.
Our friends and family may not always appreciate some of our characteristics, but when a change in our behaviour patterns occurs it gives rise for disquiet signalling that something’s wrong.
Carl Llewellyn
