The Bucket

Her family was comfortably middle-class, frugal both by temperament and necessity. They were wealthy enough to afford what they needed, but not wealthy enough to replace aging appliances or tools. Household items were never temporary, but rather indispensable parts of their home, with their own names. They didn't have a bucket in the home, but rather they had The Bucket, which they would call to ("where's The Bucket?") to fill such vital tasks as moping the floor, carrying dirt, and waiting by a sick family member's bedside. Being as useful as it was, The Bucket would become a source of argument, because you were just going to have to find some other way to plant your petunias, I need The Bucket to help me wash the car.