They Called Me Mayer July: Painted Memories of a Jewish Childhood in Poland Before the Holocaust

Nakheta

Nakheta had a special way of washing floors. The way people used to wash floors in Poland was to slush a bucket of water on the floor, scrub the floor with a long handled stiff brush, and mop up the water with the remnants of a burlap bag. Not Nakheta. The Vatman's had rich relatives in the United States who would send them parcels with used clothing. One parcel contained an evening gown with a long train. Having no other use for the gown, Nekhate used to wear it while washing the floor. She would promenade up down the wet floor with the long wet train of the gown trailing behind her. When she reached the end of the room she gave one twist with her hips and backside and the train whooshed across the floor. She and her parents disappeared in the war.