I found myself in need of a laundromat this week. The reason is a story for another day. With the dirty clothes piling up, I needed to get the laundry done. It has probably been 30 years since I last walked through the doors of a laundromat. In fact, I wrote a poem called Ghosts in the Laundry about the experience the last time I did.
While in college at the University of Arkansas, I spent many hours at the laundromat. As my clothes churned and spun, I probably should have been studying, but when you cleaned your clothes at a place called Soap ‘n’ Suds, chores became fun. Not tedious in the least.
“Who’s doing laundry this week?”
“I am,” I would always respond with glee.
Soap ‘n’ Suds not only had rows upon rows of washing machines and dryers of all sizes, but it also had pool tables. And video games. And a bar. I could find nothing wrong with wasting a few quarters on Street Fighter II. A game or three of pool—never for money, wink, wink—made waiting for the clothes to dry bearable. And talking with friends new and old over a nice cold brew hit the spot.
The laundromats I went to while serving in the US Navy never had these. I can tell you someone sure missed out on a business opportunity there. The bar and pool tables and video games at Soap ‘n’ Suds took up a room separate from the machines. Why would you want to drink beer while folding laundry?
When I needed the services provided by a self-service coin laundry 30 years after college, I looked for something similar. I searched high and low. Nothing in my town nor in the surrounding area fits my needs.
Did you know most laundromats are not open 24 hours anymore? Why’s that? The one I finally went to is only open 18 hours. What if you are a night owl? Saying that, I really can’t remember if Soap ‘n’ Suds had 24 hours of operations. But who cared when you had access to a pool table? If I won enough games, someone else would pay for my laundry to be done. I still did it. I just didn’t pay for it.
This one has no bar. No pool table. And only one video game. The other video game is out of order. The claw machine is out of order. One vending machine is empty, and the other one is 90% void of inventory. The only TV is probably a 32-inch screen anchored to a corner above the less-than-full vending machine. And it’s on the local news. And there is no remote.
What has plenty of is cameras. I counted nine. This is probably because there is no attendant. No one to sweep the floor when people don’t pick up their fabric softener sheets. No one to empty the coins—you can pay by debit or credit card now. The heat is kept low inside. Some of the patrons do not like winter. I am standing around in short sleeves, loving the lower temperatures.
Doing laundry used to be fun. They just don’t make them like they used to, do they? I always wondered when I would be old enough to say that.
I do love my clean clothes though. Take care.
