I recently had a shock of recognition when a senior friend texted that she was obsessed with cleaning her grout.

First I wondered what grout was, whether I had any, and whether I too should be diligently cleaning it.

But the shock was remembering that I had the shakes for weeks till I completed my once-a-decade tour of the house, window cleaning, and realized that right now I was suffering from a carpet obsession.

I have four vacuum cleaners (one lightweight you carry on your back, looking like a firefighter, but it’s good for stairs), three carpet shampooers, two Roombas and a shop-vac.

What is it with seniors and cleaning?

I will never forget a comment a friend made approvingly years ago after we visited an aging former colleague: “He’s such a clean old guy.”

At my funeral I want my children to nod their heads in unison and whisper through their wailing, “He left the house clean.”

Next on my agenda is power washing the concrete front steps and sidewalk.

Edward J. Gallagher