By Gene Novogrodsky

The party lasted past midnight, and I grew thirsty, so I went into the kitchen. I stopped. There was Patti, at the sink, cleaning plates into the garbage, then washing them. Another woman had been picking them up and delivering them.

Patti looked at me, and I raised my fingers to my mouth in the universal “Be quiet!”

Patti, had been the cleaning woman in my office building, and several times I had taken her home, stopping at a motel first.

I walked up to her, and in Spanish explained that my wife was in the main room, and that I would appreciate it if she would ignore me if she had to go out and help bring in the dishes.

She shook her head, not a yes, not a no, and I left the kitchen, never having gotten my water.

I went back to the party and told my wife that we should leave soon .

She said, “What’s wrong. you don’t look too hot.”

“No, just the food and heat, so really, let’s think about going.”

“OK, in a few minutes. Go sit and relax.”

I found a chair and kept looking at the kitchen, hoping that Patti had plenty of plates, and that they were very dirty.