Lexington Laundry

Many years ago my family lived in Lexington, Massachusetts, USA. This small town is famous for its part in the American Revolutionary war, and has a rich history.
We moved away in 1973, and occasionally returned to stay with friends who still lived in the old neighborhood.

One night we were staying with a family that lived down the street from our old house. It's interesting to note that none of the houses in the neighborhood would be considered historic, all of them having been built since the nineteen-forties or fifties.

The house in which we were guests was probably even newer than that. Sometime during the night I awoke, and got up to use the bathroom. In the corner of the room, there was a woman in a blue and white gingham dress. She had on a matching head scarf or kerchief, and she was sitting on a stool leaning over a wooden washtub. She appeared to be doing laundry. Although the room was very dark, the vignette-like scene appeared to shine with a light of its own. Sleepy, befuddled and uncomprehending of what I was seeing, I called out to the figure. "Mom??" The woman continued doing laundry, unaware of my presence. A few seconds later the scene faded away to darkness. I went to the bathroom and returned to bed, unafraid.

The next morning I told my parents what I had seen. They weren't sure what to make of it, but seemed to believe me. Most likely they chalked it up to a dream. I know, however, that I was awake, and I have wondered ever since who that woman was, and why she was doing her laundry in the middle of the night, in a house in Lexington.