geo-politics at the laudramat

i have this ongoing fascination w/ etiquette and doin' laundry.

when sunday rolls around i have the choice of two spots to get my dirty stuff clean.
one, which is the larger, is nonetheless usually packed and isn't really all that well kept. its not uncommon to find that after dropping .50 into a drier that the thing spins at room temp.
the other is only about a year old, is well managed, but its small. more often than not the facilities are stretched.

i usually opt for the second, inspite of the risk of getting stiff-armed.
in particular, by one of two customers who generally choose sunday to do their dirty work as well and join in on the festivities.
understand: there are only (14) 2xload washing-machines, (10) 1xload washing machines, and (20) driers.
either of these customers will roll in and commandeer, virtually, the entire store. brashly muscling their way toward the 2xload washers, lo0ading 5 or six of them up, to then dominate the limited bank of driers. once finished of course its their perogative to stretch on out and spread their clothes out over two of the four available folding tables. the laundry ceases to be a public space and instantly turns into their own, entitled private realm. and thats how they treat it.

i've never seen both in the store simultaneously, and half think they knowingly, with a wink of knowing grace, spare, at least each other, the inconveience.

not so today.
i showed up and it became apparant that there were are a few more heavy hitters in the area. the entire bank of 2xload machines were in the process of being filled by a newcomer or two. naturally i hustled over to the signle load machines and quick, quick, quick, loaded up. just stay ahead of the curve and i would be able to transition right into 4 of the 20 available driers.

and then the first couple barged through what they understood the doors of "their" laundramat. lugging behind them an endless trail of soiled clothing.
and not 5 minutes later the other strolled in.

i was left to laugh.
meanwhile each was faced with a perversely refracted image of their own indulgent entitlement. sorry. there aint no room. cause you've beeen beatin to the punch, by that same type of user who has already laid claim to the space and made it their own.

i half thought about sticking around to see the train wreck to its logical conclusion. i had laundry spinnin humbly in 4 of the driers and, chuckling, entertained the idea of needlessly prolonging my use just to witness what was going to happen when the two heavyweights were each locked out of what they consider their perogative.

the geo-politics of the laundramat!