Laundro

I didn’t notice the short bus pull up.  I was busy pushing quarters into the silver slot.  It takes twenty-seven for the big washer.  My goal is to finish the wash and dry in one act, one hour.

 Teacher and John have arrived inside the entrance.  Teacher exchanges pleasantries with Marianne as she folds clothes.  John stands in place, slightly weaving, as if the world was moving too fast and then suddenly stopped.  Teacher grabs a broom and starts sweeping the already clean floor.  He hands the broom to John, who moves it to-and-fro twice, pushing the imaginary pile of dust into the pickup. 

Kenny enters, full of bluster, speaking in a voice way too loud for the room. He engages Teacher and Marianne in a protracted and one-sided conversation about the events of his day; the condition of his truck, the fish fry at the VFW, and some relative that they might see at some point soon, but probably not. 

Marianne continues to fold clothes.  She is a youthful middle-aged woman, and it seems she is the reason Kenny and Teacher are here; old drones circling the honey.  John continues to sway, mouth slightly agape, while fiddling with his earphones.  I can’t see if his eyes are vacant or just simply have vacated this show.  

Kenny completes his monologue and exits, bow implied. Teacher and Marianne give a kind review of his performance, noting that this man “knows a lot.”

Teacher offers John the opportunity to run the vacuum cleaner.  He declines, preferring to watch a television show droning-on about buying the perfect home.  

My clothes are now dry and I join in the ritual of folding. 

Kenny departs with a practiced aplomb, soon followed by Teacher, and then John, trailing slightly behind, who appears to have completed the lesson. 

"Have a nice day, have a nice day, have a nice day.  You too, you too, you too.”

The laundromat quiets upon these exits. Marianne looks across the row of washers churning away and we make brief eye contact.  “Quite the show,” I comment, trying to stay in my neutral corner.  She smiles and slightly rolls her eyes, as she begins to fold another load of clothes.