Humility and Demographics at the Laundromat

It has been years since I went to wash clothes at a laundromat. Years! The experience was well worth the time spent this past Sunday morning at Spin Cycle Coin Laundry. I was able to put at least 4 loads of clothes in one machine. It cost me a gallon of gas ($4.25) – but having the ability and option to get four loads done in one washing was pleasing. And, no, the clothes were not mixed colors: whites with darks. It was a dark load. My days of washing clothes like a college student are over!

Speaking of “over”, when will this gas crisis in Georgia completely run its course? As I typed this journal entry I noticed that the gas line down at Kroger’s gas station was popping. Cars were everywhere. Some were idled. Others were being pushed. Running out of gas while in a quarter mile long line trying to get gas is… Well, I am not sure how to characterize that. However, that might be me in a few days.

As I sat there reminiscing about my Saturday mornings at Winston Street laundromat in Thomasville, North Carolina, I noticed that there is a Washington Mutual across the street. Didn’t I read a report that they were ‘going under’? Acquired by JPMorgan Chase? Yes, that’s the bank that prided itself on serving the community. Their intentions for years have been to be the opposite of the locally-based/ big monster banks e.g. Chevy Chase Bank. WaMu actually tried to be there for the average brother and sister. Somewhat like credit unions and unlike those Wall Street crooks.

Back to my experience at Spin Cycle. This is what I witnessed:

*A rude Korean man owns and manages the facility. He can barely speak English – but yet he selects to bark instructions in his limited English. America, the Melting Pot. How about learning to speak some ENGLISH!

*A black mother trying her best to teach her teenage daughter how to wash and fold clothes the RIGHT way. Surprisingly, the teenager was receptive, listening, and learning. There is hope for our children!

*A yuppie looking white man wearing tennis shorts and a Polo shirt looking lost and scared as h*ll. I guess me and the other brother were too much for him: Big and Black!

*A pack of South Americans speaking Guarani loudly. Having no regard for the homeless man who was trying to sleep before the Korean owner noticed him and his Army camouflage bag. He was probably one of America’s unappreciated veterans!

*An African brother who wanted to say hello – but was hesitant to greet me. I wonder why? He was washing his blues, whites, reds, and yellows all together. He knows better than that. Done got to America and abandoned his village up-bringing!

*A grey beard black man riding a bicycle with a six year old on the handlebars. No joke! Guess he did not have any gas. He needs a damn car seat on that bike though!

And, then there was me. A tall dark skin man on a laptop sizing everybody up. Using them for my next annotation. They had no clue I was eavesdropping and staring. They also were unaware that I was relishing in how peaceful and relaxed I felt. How I appreciated having to conduct a chore with them. It was a moment that took me back to my simple days in Dominica (picture attached). It was my moment of humility. But, after time passed all I could think about were those impatient people waiting in their vehicles for gas. The frustration and anger that was displayed was amazing. If there wasn’t someone rudely blowing their horn there was someone yelling, “I was here first!” Sounds like something a kid would say. Right?

These people were grown-ups. Adults behaving like children. Somewhat similar to the way our elected officials behaved last week: ‘No, this bailout plan will work. ‘No, this one will work.’ While these men and women argued over how much money we (tax payers) would have to pay back, some of us have decided to embody the Capitol Hill juvenile antics. I assume running low on gas changes people?

America is not only tinkering on total collapse, it is suddenly and predictably showing its true identity. We, the people, are spoiled, intolerant, and hasty. Accustomed to having it easy. How many of us would be willing or even able to wash clothes like the women in the picture?

We fail to realize that waiting in long lines for gas or for any basic necessity is a regular occurrence in some of the countries that we have the disrespectful audacity to label, Third World. Most Americans with their pompous demeanor can’t conceptualize that we are moving toward what we have labeled as 3rd World. Hondurans, El Salvadorans, Haitians, Rwandans, and many more ‘foreign’ people are sitting back waiting. Waiting on America to respond like a true world leader – but we are proving to them that our strength is hiding behind our bogus sense of security and vainglorious confidence.

At the least we should be able to wait in a line without cursing the traffic attendant. Nope, not too many of us can. When I completed this narrative I thought about if I could have endured 60-90 minutes of waiting to touch a dirty gas pump handle. After a serious self analysis I concluded that I am NOT mentally ready to go get gas.

Written by Brian E. Payne. Inspired by wishing I would have never left Dominica.