I used to go home and come back for the stuff when I thought it was dry. Never worked for me. Nothing stolen, but stuff gets dumped in a wad on the folding table. I sit with it from now on. (bring something to read unless you like 1986 issues of Newsweek and Thrifty Nickel papers. Besides, I always meet women at laundromats. She'll get tired of reading that stuff and want to talk with you instead!
This thread brings up an experience I had at the local laundromat, and one that taught me a big lesson on life, and people. I have a washer-dryer at home that works well for washing, but the dryer is busted, so I take my washed and spun articles and drive them over to the laundromat to dry. One night, I had a load to dry, and drove it over to the laundromat, put my laundry in the dryer, put the laundry basket down, and went outside to talk with a friend who was sitting in his car. About ten minutes later, I walked in, and didn't see my basket where I had left it, and no one was in the place except an old Asian lady, sitting on a bench. I saw a basket that looked just like mine, same brand, etc., sitting on the counter within five feet of where I had left mine, but this one had someone's detergent bottle in it, and some empty plastic bags. I had a feeling that someone had been rude, taken my basket, and put their stuff in it, so I took the basket, emptied it onto the counter, and put my (by now dry) stuff in it, and left, after saying a few "What the hell!"s. As I passed the Asian woman, she pointed back to the area I had been, and said "I saw someone,,,". I assumed she was talking about who had taken my basket, and felt justified. I went home, got another load out of the washer, put it in the basket, and returned to the laundromat. When I got there, I was approaching the same area where the dryer was that I use most often, and noticed a young woman looking at me as I approached. She asked me "Uhm,,that basket. Did you take it from here?" I became agitated, thinking (rightly) that she was challenging my rights to the basket. I explained what had happened, and that it was my consistent practice to use that dryer, and put my basket in that place. She gave up the effort to claim the basket, but a black woman across the partition spoke up, saying "It's only a laundry basket. They're five dollars at Target". I agreed, but explained to her that my family was living on 20 dollars a day, for all expenses, and I couldn't afford to simply go get another basket, to make up for one that was taken from me. Then, this guy comes in, the boyfriend/husband or whatever of the young lady who was attempting to claim the basket as her own. He grabbed the basket, saying "This isn't happening." He looked like he was about to begin pounding my face, by default. I tried to explain, and all he could say was "Let's look at the security camera!" I agreed, and told him that I knew the owner, and could access the tape. I believed it would prove me right. At any rate, the young lady let me have the basket, apologizing quietly on the way out, saying "I'm sorry about the confusion". After they left, I noticed two things: I hadn't yet put quarters in the dryer to begin drying my second load. Plus, someone had left their dry laundry in one of the dryers that I was pointing to when I was arguing for my position. I began to believe that perhaps I had misled them when I was vocalizing, pointing at that dryer, not realizing that it was the wrong dryer, and not my stuff. I though perhaps I had been guilty of causing them to forget their stuff in that dryer, and had left without it. I felt rather guilty, and decided, since I already had 4 or 5 other baskets at home, that I'd leave the basket in question in the dryer with the dry laundry, in case they returned for it. I went home, and even came back around closing, to see if they'd returned. No one had picked up their laundry, so I began to feel even more guilty, thinking that someone might have even taken my basket before they got there, (in the few minutes I was outside), and that was, indeed, their basket, and not mine. I decided to check back the next day, to see if the staff at the laundromat had seen anything, or if the couple had returned for their stuff. They informed me that they were storing it in the back room. I felt uncomfortable, but went on about my business. Later, the next day, I was driving through the complex I live in, and entirely by coincidence, saw the black lady who was a witness to the event standing outside her apartment, so I stopped, thinking maybe I could find out who the couple was that left their laundry, or how to contact them, since I had seen her husband outside talking with the guy who had grabbed the basket. I wanted to see if I could get the lost laundry back to whomever had left it. I left her my celphone number, and told her to have her husband call me. I got a call the next day, after leaving a note, reminding them to contact me. It was the black woman's husband, asking me how I had known where they lived, and to stop contacting them, and that they knew nothing about the other couple. I felt wronged, and unjustly judged, so I did one more thing. I wrote a three-page letter, explaining the circumstances, and how I had just coincidentally been driving down the street, and saw his wife standing outside, realized it was her, and stopped to see if I could do some good. I also explained that I was not a "stalker", and they had nothing to fear. I also stated that I was not a threat to them, not a "racist", but appreciated the contributions of blacks to music, being a fan of the blues, and other forms of music which blacks were involved in. So, I left this letter, in an envelope, in their mailbox and left it at that. Next day, I get a call from the police, and the black lady was standing at the front desk, with my letter, at the PD. The desk officer told me not to contact them again, and that it was "over". I agreed, stating that it was not my intention to get them involved, or pursue the matter further, and that I just wanted it over, myself. He told me to stay away from them, and if I were to see her, or them again, not to make contact, and to keep a distance. So,,in my efforts to be a good neighbor,,, Since that time I've been writing my name on the bottom of all my laundry baskets, and leaving people to solve their own problems. No more "good Sam" policy here. Fuck that.
Sounds to me like some freak wanted to try on your underwear and put it back in your basket without you knowing.
You're supposed to sit with your laundry while they wash??? I always go to the bar and let the laundry have some alone time.
Good im glad. I try to be the bigger peron and say its not worth it there time will come when something bad will happen. Its just so freakin hard.:daisy:
