Submitted by readers. Edited by cousins. Filed in the drawer Nonna refuses to discuss.
"My mother stole the bottle. I had to buy two more. I think she has known I exist for the first time."
"I have become difficult after this. My partner suggested couples counselling. I asked who is paying. They are."
"I started judging hotel towels professionally. I have written a long email to a hotel in Lake Como. They have not responded. I will write again."
"This caused relationship tension. We are now both insufferable, but in a coordinated way. The towels are aligned, however."
"I invited eleven people over just to smell the bathroom. They came. They stayed for dinner. They are now my friends. I have changed."
"I have become difficult to gift to. I open the wrapping and the present is already wrong. I cannot help it. The standard is set. The standard is in the laundry."
"I told my landlord I would only renew if I could install a second linen cupboard. He agreed. I think we are both in love now."
"I forgot the bottle at my ex's house. We are now back together, against everyone's better judgement, including ours."
"I cannot return to my parents' house. The detergent there is fine but it tastes like 2014. I will not name brands."
"My therapist asked what changed. I said the linen. She wrote it down. She wrote it down, with a small smile."
"My grandmother smelled the towels and cried. Not in a good way. We have not discussed it since. We will not. I bought her a bottle."
"I have begun to suspect the bottle is the only honest thing in my apartment. The plants pretend. The candles lie. The laundry — the laundry tells the truth."
She has heard worse. She has done worse. Nothing will surprise her, and nothing should surprise you about that.
All submissions are anonymous. We will publish the ones Nonna approves of, and quietly archive the rest. There is no appeal process.