No Soap Ladies

Friday afternoon Casie and I were running all across town putting signs up for the Garage Sale. We decided to take some of the comforters and get them washed at a laundrymat since they wouldn't fit in our washer/dryer. They'd been tucked away in storage boxes for so long that they just smelled old, you know? While our laundry was washing we went throughout town and hung up signs.

It's not everyday that we take our laundry to a washateria. In America many of us are blessed to have our own washer and dryer in our homes. From the moment we walked into this place it was clear that we were outcasts and had zero clue what we were doing. I walked right up to the washer, started reading the instructions and was ready to take charge n' get started. Then I realized...

I forgot the detergent.

Oh, but no problem because they have a little dispenser on the wall where you can buy some if you need to. I called mom, read her the options, and asked her which kind she wanted me to use; cheer, downy, or bounce.

Downy.

We followed the directions exactly as they were written on the washing machine and were totally minding our own business. Up walks Mr. Worker Guy talking all loud on his cell phone. Then he started talking to us with a very loud, loud, loud, not so nice voice...

Mr. Worker Guy : What's the problem?

Me : Nothing.

Mr. Worker Guy : Where's the
soap?

Me : It's in there.

Mr. Worker Guy (along with every other eye in the washateria) stares at us like we're complete idiots and walks away laughing.

What happened to good service and manners? Does he want his customers to come back? I'm thinkin' there was probably a nicer way to approach us. Like - I see that you're new here, do you need help? Instead it felt like - Attention Washateria customers, I'd like to direct your attention to these two idiots who have no idea where they're doing. bwah ha ha ha!

Appearently Downy is not soap, it's fabric softener. Mom didn't share this little piece of information with me; it was a big misunderstanding. I kind of figured it out as I was going, but there was nothing I could do because their soap dispenser was out of order. We just kept telling ourselves we were going for a good smell and that's all. Haha!

I guess I needed my pride stepped on that day. And it worked. Mom did all the laundry while we were growing up. When I moved off to college I had no idea what I was doing. Once I moved back home I started doing my own laundry and helping out with household chores because I realized how easy I had it and how I wasn't learning anything. I guess I got a little defensive because I wanted Mr. Worker Guy (and everyone else who heard his loud announcement in the Washateria) to know that I had learned and knew how to do my own laundry. I wasn't a spoiled little preppy girl.

When we went back to pick up our laundry he greeted us as....

"The No Soap Ladies"

All that was missing was his bright neon flashing sign pointing at us, then we could have called it a day! And i'll also have you know that every single one of those comforters sold at the sale - without soap.