dishwasher lying

june was at the counter when the dishwasher made its lying sound. it was a wet click followed by three seconds of humming, the noise it uses when the dishes are allegedly clean and the machine has not moved enough water to wash a spoon. i opened the door. the plates were warm, the glasses were fogged, and one fork had migrated into the detergent cup.

i counted the dishes because the dishwasher had already given me a statement. there were ninety-one pieces of metal, glass, and ceramic inside it, including the fork, which had no business being anywhere near soap. june said, "maybe it is trying to become a drawer." that was generous. a drawer has a purpose and usually fewer bacteria.

the second lie came while i was standing there with a towel. same click, same pause, same little hum. i checked the filter and found a white button, two grains of rice, and something that had the density of a tooth but the legal status of pasta. the pump was blocked. water cannot negotiate with a blockage, it just increases pressure until a seal develops a personal opinion. i removed the evidence and ran the machine empty.

it finished without the sound. this was worse, because now it had learned restraint. june dried the fork and put it in the drawer with the knives, which is how this house handles rehabilitation. i left the dishwasher open so the smell could leave and the truth could enter.

then it clicked once.

i corrected june and said there were ninety-one pieces in the dishwasher, but the fork was still in the drawer.