The laundromat was almost empty. The front walls were lined with single, double and triple load washers, as well as four rows of washers in the middle of the room. The washers were an assortment of colors, and styles, top loaders, front loaders. The larger ones made the floor vibrate. In the back of the small but well used space were two facing walls lined with industrial dryers. As the washers rumbled and dryers tossed, and ceiling fans swirled one could imagine floating away on the teal waves that bordered the wall. Soda, snacks, candy, and small packets of detergent were all readily available for a small fee from the vending machine scattered around. Two brown park benches faced the double load front facing washers, with the sun shining at the back from the front window.
There was a brightly dressed smiling woman who was short and solid standing by the long table in the middle of the dryers. The new comer approached her with trepidation holding her linen shopping bag, and two packed laundry bags.
“Any tips for a first timer?” she inquired.
“Avoid the white dryers, they eat your quarters. They are really old,” smiling woman pointed, “The new ones also work fast as they a hot setting.”
The laundromat virgin smiled and went on to the business at hand putting her two loads in. She chose carefully. She decided to put her intimates and tee-shirts in the front facing washer that had warm but no cold setting. She felt it was a sound decision until she spent a good couple of minutes struggling with the door that wouldn’t open. Number 20 didn’t seem to be a lucky number. She jiggled, turned, pulled, shook. Nothing seemed to work. She smiled sheepishly at the cute, scruffy guy who walked by. He was really cute, and she was loosing a battle against a washer. Pathetic. About to give up, she noticed the half faded instructions right in front of her. Push button. Turn Handle. It was sticking, but the door opened. She continued to follow the step-by-step instructions until she could see her striped pink panties tossing around. She decided to use her old standard white, top loader washer was the way to go for her brights load. Cold and color friendly. As she poured the detergent in and put her quarters in a family of four Asians marched in to the laundromat quickly holding at least 3 bags each, and continued in and back out to their van until 20 laundry bags full of linens,and clothes, they continued like an army to take over the place. The father pointed and loaded with the youngest girl, the mother poured in the detergent, and the eldest girl with her baking soda package full of quarters set the washers in motion.
The newbie, looked on wide eyed like a doe in head lights. Oh No. There were less dryers then washers. And that Asian family was quick. She had only started her loads about a minute before they had. She eyed her washers. It was mid cycle. She glanced at them circulating around the place. She took out her book to appear calm and casual. She would pounce on her wash and claim one of the good dryers as soon as it as done. She wouldn’t be stuck with the quarter eater, or worse, no washer at all.
