Bricks in Coal Stove

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First my old standby, a lovely purple
hot water bottle, started leaking in my
bed, sadly I had to say goodbye to the
loveliest hot water bottle I have ever had,
purple being my favourite colour, maybe
it makes me feel spiritual, maybe it is
the association with lavender

I was so sad, I did not buy a new one
until the cold got too much and a plastic
cooldrink bottle, a temporary replacement
got unscrewed in bed, once again my leg
was wet, I was constrained to get the real
thing, brown this time, displaying it as
Nici was filling her hot water bottle

Suddenly her hot water bottle exploded
burning her skin, the rubber weakened by
years of scalding hot water instead of the
cooler water as prescribed, I KNOW we
should cool boiling water before pouring
it into rubber, but we always want it
warmer than we are allowed

I remember my dad once crying out in the
night as my mother’s hot water bottle burst,
we were still at school, I was surprised, us
kids warmed hot bricks in the coal stove and
broke our toes whenever they connected with
the brick in bed, the idea of hot water bottles
seemed so alluring

In the beginning I added cold water to boiling
to make a hot water bottle last, then I slipped
and used water straight from the kettle, repea-
ting mother’s mistake, killing bottle after bottle
making me remember those hot bricks with a
fondness I never thought possible
when I was young...


[My brother once installed an electric blanket in
my bed, but the heat was too overpowering, I
still prefer a small warm thing I can move
around at will]
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