Collateral Cleaning

You have likely heard the term “collateral damage.”  The term is used to describe death, injury, or other damage inflicted as an unintended consequence of military operations.

Well, in my household, the weeks of sheltering in place has led to “collateral cleaning.”  In recent days, I have been cleaning out closets, drawers, and a few corners I had forgotten existed in my home.

This type of deep cleaning is very illuminating.

Following is a list of items I have discovered buried away under the surface of my daily living:

Half of a tee shirt draped over a hanger

Several unmatched socks

Approximately 1/8^th of a cat (in hair only)

An authentic arrowhead knapped from flint

Dust

Two Sylvania DHN slide projector lamps for a Kodak model 550 carousel slide projector

A book of MC Escher artwork

Three bricks of .22 long rifle cartridges

One Kodak model 550 carousel slide projector (manufactured in the early 1960s)

Two remotes for unknown electronic devices

A bundle of paid bills from 2008

A “movie director” Halloween costume

NOTE: About the tee shirt…I found this item hanging in the closet just inside the entry from my garage.  I am guessing I converted the other half into a rag.

—Mitchell Hegman