a stiff yellow towel

i stood at the chipped sink. the water ran cold. i scrubbed my hands with powdered soap. the alternator was finally in. but the black sludge stayed. it packed tight under my fingernails. and settled deep in the cracked cuticles. i took a nylon brush to the skin. rubbed until my knuckles bled. the dark lines in my fingerprints wouldn't fade. i turned off the faucet. wiped my hands on a stiff yellow towel. black smudges stained the cotton. i walked into the kitchen and opened a tall can with my dirty thumb.