Walk Two Moons

From the text, we might infer that she did not like putting the groceries away..... it was simply a part of her job, as mother and housewife.

Mrs. Winterbottom baked and cleaned and did laundry and grocery shopping. I had a funny feeling that Mrs. Winterbottom did not actually like all this baking and cleaning and laundry and shopping, and I’m not quite sure why I had that feeling because if you just listened to the words she said, it sounded as if she was Mrs. Supreme Housewife.

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When Phoebe's mother came home from running all her errands, she looked terrible. She was sniffling and blowing her nose. Phoebe asked her if she was sick.

Mrs. Winterbottom looked at Phoebe and then straight at me. 'No,' she said, 'I think I have an allergy.’

Phoebe said that we were going to do our home- work. Upstairs, I said, 'Maybe we should have helped her put away the groceries'

'She likes to do all that by herself,’ Phoebe said.

'Are you sure?’

'Of course, I'm sure,’ Phoebe said. I've lived here my whole life, haven't I?'

I asked Phoebe if her mother really had allergies.

'Well, gosh, Sal, if she says she does, then I guess she does. She’s not the sort of person to lie.’

'Maybe something is wrong. Maybe something is bothering her.

'Don't you think she would say so then?'