Abide
Basa fillets, frozen, are too long for the steamer basket. The layer above, bearing broccoli, stacks jaunty. Hisses from the potato pan: hot starchy water boils out, the hob's a mess. Slices of root vegetable, jittering in the current. Steam shimmies up, melts the iced fish, levels settle. The washing did not dry on the cold line, but it was drier, I notice this, unpegging. Half notice: busy thinking where a new washing line might go, where a paved path could lead. After work, eat a bowl of cold mashed potato and a slice of cheese. Ah, I can clean the hob tomorrow. It's late: I'm too content to move.