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Dirty Laundry
I was at the laundromat this morning. I had to take my comforter in because my lovely little puppy decided it made for a good toilet and pee'd on it.
Anyways, while I was there all these old memories popped up of my childhood and having to go with my mom once a week to help her wash and sort the laundry. Of course at the time it was a "treat" to go. At least for me it was. See, every time I went with her I'd make a new friend whether it'd be a kid from school or a lonely old lady needing the company or whatever. It's also where I had the best conversations with my mom. AND where I got all the good gossip from listening to her and whatever comadre she'd be talking to who happened to be washing her clothes there at the same time. "fijate que..." "AY No me digas! Apoco?" Then there was the trip to the mini mart next door when we ran out of dimes and of course my mom gave me extra money to buy myself a little treat. Yes, the laundry mat was a good time for me full of awesome memories. Of course then I became a mother and going to laundromat was a chore and half. With two kids in tow, I'd take off with my baskets full of dirty clothes and my rolls of quarters. Trying to hold my kids hands so they wouldn't run off and hang on to the baskets at the same time as not an easy thing. It was tough. Then of course trying to keep my kids entertained enough to where they wouldn't ask, "Are we almost done yet? How bout YET? NOT YET? How much longer?" I can't imagine how mi mami did it without losing her sanity all those years. Of course now that my kids are older and I don't have to worry about them anymore and going to the laundromat is once more like it was when I was child. I sit there and people watch. Or I pretend like I'm reading a book and eavesdrop on conversations and catch up on all the "good gossip" of people I'll never meet and situations that may never affect me. It's better than a soap opera. Actually it's better than any reality t.v. show you watch because it's REAL and I'm a part of it. Sort of. It was nice. And even in the middle of all the commotion of washing machines swooshing, and dryers spinning, and mothers yelling, and kids crying, and couples arguing, and old men smoking, it was quiet. And it was sorta kinda a little bit of "me" time. I sat back, absorbed it all, let it all sink in. I was reliving all those neat laundromat childhood memories. And it was nice. 9 comments from 5 users
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posted by
losthills
on Nov 4, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Nice writing! All of us blue collar types have spent hour upon hour listening to our clothes go sround. You have to-- if you leave to get a hamburger your clothes disappear.... posted by
DontHateMeCauzImBeeUteeFull
on Nov 4, 2007 at 11:17 PM
We had to drive into town to do our laundry for awhile after the wringer (wow, dated myself there) died... we would only go every 2 weeks or so.. It took HOUR and HOURS to get them all done, but it was like a field trip for us! On the way home we always stopped @ a little country store that was about 10 miles from the house and we could all spend a dime on anything we wanted. I always had to have a coke, sis #1 had ice cream, bratty sis got what ever she wanted and wound up getting some of ours, but the baby bro ALWAYS got a box of band-aids..If I remember right there were about 20 assorted sizes in a box. by the time we drove those last 10 miles he had every one of those band aids stuck all over his body! It was hilarious and to this day if I have to go to the Laundromat it makes me think of band-aids!
posted by
an1ok1joe
on Nov 5, 2007 at 12:12 AM
Wow Twinkie you sound like me when I was a kid. I remember signing valentines cards at about age 6 while my mom did the laundry. Our course a few later we got a washer and dryer. Wow people do even know what saving for something like that is like these days. They just charge it and pay later. But yeah i remember those times. Me and my sister going with my mom just like you did. The one we went to is no longer there. It was next the Alpha Beta on Brundage Lane, at the end down there by where that Thai Restaurant was more recently. It was fun going for a 6 year old, eating nuts out of the little crank machines and playing with my big sister. Life was good, no real responsibilities what a life.
posted by
Poopdeck
on Nov 5, 2007 at 08:32 AM
That is so funny. My grandparents owned the laundromat on the west side of Myfa. The stories from that place are funny. I remember going next door to the pharmacy to grab some candy, or to the other next door to the shoe store and check out the latest in Chuck Taylor's. Man, she had some crazy one's, and I use to complain about them being 15 bucks for a pairs (mid 80's y'all). Best story offhand was when Reyes Vargas was trying to break into the machines, he saw my grandfather come in, jumped into one of the dryers, and it being a Sunday, we tested all of the dryers and he got stuck before he opened the door and ran for it. And no, he got no money. posted by
an1ok1joe
on Nov 5, 2007 at 04:52 PM
Haha Buck's clothes reminds me of a story that a friend of mine that used to do Buck's clothes at a cleaners here in town said. Well it was her husband, he said my wife does Buck's clothes and this was back in about 1999. He said he didn't wear under wear and there were skids in his drawer's. Ewww. I hope your mother didn't see such a sight sistersheree
posted by
twinkie
on Nov 5, 2007 at 06:13 PM
losthills: it's funny you should say that. While I was waiting I called a friend on my cell phone and I told her, "God, I'm soooo hungry but I don't wanna leave because someone might steal my comforter." as soon as I said that, I thought, "Yeah, right... who the hell steals laundry anyways?" who knows, though and I didn't want to take any chances. tekwiz... that's the one we went to! We would drive all the way accross town to the "good" laundromat. The one where all the machines worked and it was CLEAN. ha. Forget the one on the east side of town. eww. hehehe. Actually, I don't really remember why we drove accross town? I'm sure that had to be why, though? donthateme: I felt the same way, like it was a field trip. Little did I know my mom was exploiting me with all that child labor.. (ha.. just kidding) an1okjoe: yeah, exactly... no responsibilities... man that was the life. ha. we were poor but we didn't even know it because we didn't know any different. sistershere: When we lived in Mexico my sister and I had to take turns washing clothes in a tub with the washboard. Sometimes I'd scrape up my knuckles because I'm clumsy and dorky like that. Good times (not) haha... Even then, we didn't know any better so it wasn't a big deal. By the way, that tub is the same tub we took our baths in.
About those dirty drawers..... ummmmmm EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! hahhaha.. I mean, I know they are a fact of life but damn. Wash that shit your own damn self. geez louize! ha. posted by
losthills
on Nov 5, 2007 at 07:19 PM
Well, it actually happened to me, is why I said it.... I put my laundery in 3 machines, walked across the street and got a cheeseburger and fries, came back and took my clothes out and two brand new pairs of Levis and 3 new sweatshirts were missing-- they only took the new stuff... Another time I put my clothes , soap and money in a couple washers and they didn't work. So I took them all out and put them in different washers (minus the detergent.) A tech guy came in, and I told him that two of his machines ripped me off. He reached way down behind them and plugged them in, and they came on.... That's how desperate people in Oildale can be-- Free Wash and Free Detergent! But at least they didn't steal my clothes.... posted by
twinkie
on Nov 5, 2007 at 09:13 PM
ha! HEY come to think of it, a long time when I lived in the apartments off Demare and New Stine I put clothes in the washer, some were my roomates and they stole HER PANTS. Mine were Wal Mart, no brand... hers were name brand. THEN a few weeks later a little boy that lived accross the way had them on. We asked him where he got them and he said his mom got them for him for his birthday. Poor guy. He was wearing GIRL name brand pants that his thieving mom stole from my wash. But in that case, the laundry room was empty and the clothes were there for the taking. I figure in a busy laundromat people would be too scared to try it, right? I MEAN RIGHT? Please say yes. ha. Just kidding. I know I KNOW... it takes all kinds of people to make this world go 'round, right? Thanks everyone for sharing your laundromat stories with me. But I know there are more of you that got them right? hehehe. posted by
an1ok1joe
on Nov 6, 2007 at 07:15 PM
All I can say is awww the poor kid. They musta really been bad off. And hey losthills, if you trried giving your new clothes to the guy taking them he probably wouldn't have, isn't that ever more bizarre?
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