I found this little round scrubber under my kitchen sink the other day. It reminded me of Helen.

My husband’s Great-Aunt Helen lived in Kansas City before we moved here. She helped me find my first job, and our first couch. She and her husband Chuck were good friends to us in all kinds of ways.

Great-Aunt Helen’s husband and sons were all in sales, but she was the best salesmen of them all. When she came to visit Jon and me, she always brought something to sell for a good cause. Whether it was a stainless steel knife or jewelry made from yarn, we didn’t mind forking over the money, because Helen had charm.

Helen’s best-selling venture was the little scrubber in the picture. She made them out of netting from the fabric store, which she magically crocheted into little circles.  She sold them at her church’s annual craft fair, but she also made plenty to give away to relatives.

Those scrubbers scoured pots like nobody’s business. They were just scratchy enough to do the job without taking the finish off my good cookware. I was always glad to see the brightly colored discs whenever she came for a visit.

A few years ago, Uncle Chuck passed on to Heaven after an illness. He was in his nineties. The family gathered for his funeral, and we said good-bye to the good old man. Within a week, Helen joined him. After 60-plus years of marriage, she wasn’t about to let him leave her behind. We miss them.

What a gift to find one last scrubber. This one will never be used.