Not long ago, I did something I've been dreading for a long time. I gathered up all of my comforters, piled them into my car, and headed for the nearest laundromat. Unfortunately, as I pulled up to the one by my house, I saw that it was closed (for good). So I drove several miles out of my way to another laundromat that I knew would still be in business. I grabbed about eight dollars in quarters from the change tray in my car and went inside.It was near 100 degrees outside, so I wasn't happy to learn that the place didn't have air conditioning. Then I realized I had more issues than just the temperature to deal with. This particular laundromat probably had five or six different types of washing machines to choose from. I didn't have a clue which one to use and the two women who were in the place didn't look all that friendly, so I began reading instructions that were taped to the individual machines. I determined that if a comforter would fit inside, then it was probably big enough. I found one that took the first comforter and it didn't have a price tag on it. So, I began feeding it quarters. It took $4.50 for one load. I couldn't believe it. I reached into my pocket and stuck a $10.00 bill in the change machine because my $8.00 in quarters just wasn't going to cut it.
My next hurdle was figuring out where to put the detergent. All of the instructions dealt with detergent made of powder, not liquid, and of course, I had liquid. I finally figured out where to put the detergent and I got four machines going at the same time. By now, sweat was dripping down my face and arms and I needed to get outside just to "cool" off. I went outside and sat down to read a book I brought with me. As soon as I opened it, a woman pulled up in the parking lot and stood outside of the convenience store next to the laundromat speaking quite loudly into her cell phone--dropping F bombs and acting all hostile toward the person on the other end of the phone. Sometimes I forget that singleness isn't necessarily a bad thing.
She eventually stopped yelling and went inside and I was able to return to my book. After 40 minutes or so, I went back inside and had to learn how to use some of the various different dryers--another long and expensive process. But I figured it out and resumed reading my book outside after I got the dryers going. All in all, it took my about two hours before I was back in my car (with the AC running at full power) and heading for home.
A friend visited me the next day, and I really didn't want him to have to sit in the cat hair on my futon, so I begrudgingly covered it with one of my freshly washed comforters. After my friend left, my beloved cat, Midnight, took up residence on the comforter and that was the end of it until I get back to the laundromat, which I'm thinking won't be any time soon. But the other three comforters are safely tucked away. Well, that's not exactly true. One went on my bed, on which, Midnight sleeps with me at night. So, I guess I'm down to two clean comforters.
It seems like it would be easier to just thrown them away when they get dirty and buy new ones. I know, that's the single guy in me talking. But I'm just saying.
