The Original Meaning of Spin

I've always wondered why the neighbourhood laundromat did not occupy a more prominent role in fiction. After all, we all have embarrassing dirty laundry, and we all spent our slim years in laundromats when we had more time than money. In addition, we've all left behind a few embarrassing articles of clothing, which in our worst nightmares were traced back to us.



The laundromat has also been known as a place to develop a love interest or two if you read Dan Savage. Although not terribly romantic, laundromats didn't offer much else to do while your socks danced around in the dryer. And you didn't dare leave because, according to urban legend, that's precisely when thieves show up to steal your sexy new knickers before they are even dry. But this scenario left the young, slim and beautiful version of you pondering the replacement costs, money that could have otherwise been spent at the pub.

Let's face it. The laundromat was never our favourite place, even if it came up with a nice little name like Chez Bobette. Loosely translated, this means "Knicker's Place." I thought that it was quite creative on the owner's part to stuff lost clothing items in the form of letters, lacquer them to keep their shape and then hang them on the line out front in lieu of a sign. (Did any of these clothes/letters once belong to you?) Cute, but inside it was the same hot air, swirling dust bunnies and the rhythmic thump of the spin cycle.

As we moved up the food chain in the labour force, we had to invest in more expensive clothes. And with these snazzy threads, we had to pay for dry cleaning. At least this time, someone else was doing the cleaning for us. But have you ever stopped to think what dry cleaning really involves? I've looked into it and believe me, dry cleaners have a dirty little secret that you should all know about. For further info, tune in for my next post.

Do you have a great laundromat story? Like have you ever come home with something that didn't belong to you? 

In my first year of university, I found a pair of men's briefs in my clean laundry back in my dorm room. Of course, I made the discovery just as my roommate walked in. It made for an uncomfortable conversation. She immediately asked who they belonged to and I told her that I thought that they were hers. We did eventually discover that I had picked them up in the laundry room by mistake....

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1 comments:

Anonymous | June 28, 2010 at 1:56 PM

It is worse if you live or visit where there is no Laundrette or The laundromat as you call it. I checked the web & both terms are used, in the English speaking world, but Laundrette more so here in Australia, especially for coin operated establishments. Laundries are the big brothers, the heavies or large items for towels, sheets etc. My sneak peek into one only showed the sorting section close to the entrance where Hotels, Motels etc. send their dirty Linen.

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