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Published: 2005-11-18 00:34:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 17240; Favourites: 174; Downloads: 93
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There is nothing on earth I abhor more than laundry day. It is the eater of a thousand productive hours, the devourer of days on end. Each moment of procrastination, from the point at which you first start looking very carefully at a shirt that any rational person would discredit as dirty, to the point where you no longer have any other underwear to turn inside out feeds the beast, waiting for that enviable day off, when you naively think to yourself:“Well, I’ve got a little time to kill, might as well do a little laundry.”
Next thing you know, it’s 10 years later and the man who used to be the kid next door is going through your pockets, and has already taken the time to write “GONAD” on your forehead in sharpie, and the most interesting thing about you, is your bumper stickers.
Save a cow, eat a vegetarian
My wife’s other car is a broom
Osama loves your SUV
Laundry day has consumed your youth.
Multiply your dread by ten if you have to leave the sanctity of your house to launder your clothing, as I am most surely doing at this precise moment. If you’re in some communal laundry room, or Laundromat. Harsh fluorescent bulbs Buzzing and talking in come language unknown to you. The smell of a thousand uncleaned detergent spills. A sickly sweet smell made by flowers never to be found in nature. A fresh spring time air that’s never blown. The freshness of a million mountains that cant be found on a single map. Roving militia of dust bunnies created in a moment where people were thoughtful enough to clean a lint trap, but just shy of enough decency to throw the sloughed off fibers of a billion cardigans into the trash. Kids running and climbing over you. Three wheeled laundry carts limping about like old cantankerous men, eating spare socks when nobody’s watching. The entire circus haunted by the ethereal ghostlike forms of expired dryer sheets
All ye who enter here, abandon all hope.
Add fifty points of horror if the first part of your daily battle in a quest for clothing that doesn’t reek, and stand stiff on its own is the dreaded Lug. The lug being the trip from your front door, carrying every piece of clothing you own, save for the clothes on your back and the shoes on your feet. You wont make two trips. No, not you. You want to take everything possible in one awkward backache making move. Clothes, detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener, downy ball, Woolite, Woolite black. Woolite with bleach. Woolite with color safe bleach. A good book, or in my case a laptop. Cigarettes, a drink or two, a bag of chips, a picture of a loved one, a living will. You only carry the essentials. The things you need to move into the laundry room for a somewhat extended stay. Whatever you cant carry stays dirty. You heft this all like a gypsy. A Bedouin nomad. The nylon cord from the poorly designed, cheap laundry bag biting into your hand, where you wrap it for stability. The red welt on your forearm where the weight was distributed the least evenly is a mark of courage. Receipt for a right of passage. You are a human being now. Upgraded from pelts and skins, to things that need to be washed in a delicate cycle. A panty bag. In cold water only. No tumble dry.
Give yourself 50 ingenuity points if you were smart enough to buy off-brand detergent so that you’d have no qualms about using it all, just to save yourself the weight of carrying it back.
Good. You’re learning now.
Add seventy-five points to your rage index for every impatient, insensitive Laundry room resident who feels the need to, empty your dryer/washer/cart three seconds after your cycle of usage is up. Everyone doe-eyed innocent, and moving like hive drones when you come back into the room to see a pile of your wet unmentionables on a folding table that hasn’t been clean since its initial unfolding. Some god awful Hawaiian shirt spinning in the washer that by your best estimates ended its cycle three milliseconds ago. Your accusing eyes scanning the room, making contact with another’s about as often as it rains in the Gobi. You glance incredulous at your pile. Bleeding onto the linoleum. Sitting limp. Continually looking back at the Hawaiian infested washer, spinning purple and green in taunting manner reminiscent of grade school limericks and momma jokes.
Give yourself a fifteen point confrontation bonus if you make a “fucking people these days, Jesus” comment aloud before slamming your clothing into the dryer.
Don’t forget your dryer sheets. We’re aiming for sunshine fresh here. Obtaining it is a priority. don’t mind your ghosts. They’ll haunt someone else.
Use two.
Give yourself the gridlock award for the upcoming trial at the folding table. Elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder, everyone folds with their arms fully extended in some way or another to get some room. Beside you a man is attempting to fold a t shirt above his head. It’s as if in one section of the room, the universe has turned off the gravity. Just on that shirt. Some clever one-liner tethered to the earth by a pair of fumbling folding hands.
I’m home, take me drunk.
Welcome to New York. Now go home.
New Mexico, now 75% cleaner than regular Mexico.
It’s a good thing Neil Armstrong had a space suit. Folding clothes in space seems like it would be a little awkward.
Fold your clothes and pile them high. Higher than anyone else. They laughed at the people who wanted to make the tower of Babel too. Stack fast and stack high. First sweat shirts and sweaters. Then pants, then t shirts. Then boxers and things of that nature. Give yourself a competitive bonus of eleven points if you secretly blow at your neighbors pile from the corner of your mouth. If someone’s pile falls, look over and calmly say “man climbs to greatness on the corpses of his enemies. Keep folding. Anything to reach the heavens. If you actually do reach heaven ask god why he wont just create nerds that make self cleaning sports jackets. Auto wash slacks. Clothes that clean up after themselves. Tell him he didn’t give his only begotten son so that you could spend the Sabbath day saying fuck you to quarter machines that give seventy-five cents on the dollar, or unplugging old lady's washers during the all important spin cycle.
Apologize for telling the single mother that her bastard children would have been better off playing with the discarded needles in the park on the corner rather than ask you if you had any videogames on your laptop.
Fifty three times.
Promise to spend Sundays doing more productive things, like worshipping him.
Don’t forget to cross your fingers. He may be the alpha and the omega, but he falls for this more often than you think.
Subtract thirty-three unnecessary inquiry points for wondering why the clothes, which fit in three bags now beg for four. They refuse to be transported in three. don’t rationalize it by saying “less dirt should mean less volume” or “They should take up less space! They’re folded! Just stuff them all in your bag, realize you wasted your time folding them in the first place, and Prepare for the re-lug.
Heft your newly cleaned laundry home over your weary shoulder. Its going to be wrinkled no matter what you do. Pay it no heed.
Walk outside. realize there is air in the world that doesn't smell like dryer. you’re now in the future now, so do mind the hover cars.
Go home. Navigate the stairs, cash in your points, and buy a nap.
you’ve earned it.
Related content
Comments: 176
silenceinnumbers In reply to ??? [2008-10-28 21:21:20 +0000 UTC]
thanks a lot!
the only thing worse than laundry is dishes.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
irkadirka [2008-04-29 00:41:32 +0000 UTC]
makes me so glad that i have a washer and dryer at home. we bought a new house recently and with that came a new washer and dryer. no more going to the laundry place.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
vo1umeone [2008-02-17 03:34:54 +0000 UTC]
This is probably my favorite writing piece on Deviant. It really sucked me in to that Laundromat! Keep it up!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ThePinkLemon [2008-02-05 00:16:18 +0000 UTC]
Haha, I thought I was going to be all original and say that this reminds me of Chuck Palahniuk's style (especially in Fight Club) but then I realized that a few other people had already said it. Oh well. This was very interesting to read, I really liked it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to ThePinkLemon [2008-02-05 17:38:34 +0000 UTC]
Even though i completely CRINGE every time I hear that, i do thank you for the compliment.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ThePinkLemon In reply to silenceinnumbers [2008-02-05 20:33:13 +0000 UTC]
Lol, no problem. Sorry for making you cringe XD Im sure it does get a bit annoying hearing it so much though
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
shotqueensofrhye [2007-12-05 22:37:36 +0000 UTC]
This is so incredibly true, though I've never thought about how oppressive Laundry is until I read this. so thanks, because now i'm just writing to keep from going downstairs to put another load in. good job, honestly and sarcastically.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Dusksong [2007-10-23 03:40:59 +0000 UTC]
It's amazing in its encompassing stroke--we've all thought these things in our heads, yet never thought anyone else would agree if we said them out loud.
Brilliantly jarring, jaded, sharp prose. Reminds me of David Sedaris, actually.
Here's to forgotten dryer lint and the girl-before-you's socks.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to Dusksong [2007-10-24 20:13:17 +0000 UTC]
sedaris? If the melanin in my skin didnt prevent me from blushing, i would.
thank you, very much.
( if you really enjoyed it, take a peek at the untitled draft i have posted as my most recent, and give me some feedback. you, unlike most on this site, seem completely capable of it.)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Dusksong In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-10-25 02:20:41 +0000 UTC]
Aww. You're most certainly welcome! It's true!
And I did check out that draft! Nice stuff...I commented.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
allykat [2007-10-02 22:08:22 +0000 UTC]
I love this. I hope you don't mind, but I used this piece as my Reading Journal for a writing class I'm in. I have to read a piece of non-fiction every week and write a personal response. I promise I only said good things. I'm pretty sure my prof is getting tired of stuff from dA, but with amazing work like this, how can I not use it?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to allykat [2007-10-03 19:24:34 +0000 UTC]
wow, thats really neat. did it go over well?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
allykat In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-10-03 21:43:38 +0000 UTC]
I just handed it in today, so I won't know until next week at the earliest, but I'll let you know.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Kyohtee [2007-09-02 01:17:05 +0000 UTC]
I can't recall if I left a comment on this but I absolutely love this, it's just so hilarious
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
CyanideAndCake [2007-08-31 02:46:39 +0000 UTC]
"Give yourself a competitive bonus of eleven points if you secretly blow at your neighbors pile from the corner of your mouth. "
"Apologize for telling the single mother that her bastard children would have been better off playing with the discarded needles in the park on the corner rather than ask you if you had any videogames on your laptop."
I laughed my ass off! Great read.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
apocathary [2007-08-15 01:38:06 +0000 UTC]
Good stuff. Needs an edit or two to get out all the little fudges, but other than that you've got a winner here. Congrats : )
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
deadritual [2007-08-12 07:32:24 +0000 UTC]
this was fantastic. XD
you read chuck palahniuk, don't you?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to deadritual [2007-08-12 16:00:43 +0000 UTC]
i used to love chuck. thats fallen away with his later books. but my style is sort of inspired by his earlier works. awesome for noticing! thanks for the comment!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
deadritual In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-08-13 02:09:26 +0000 UTC]
ah. his later books were not as satisfying. personally, my favorite is and always will be diary. i just love it! that was the first thing i thought of when i read this! i really like what you did here.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to deadritual [2007-08-13 04:29:35 +0000 UTC]
lullaby is my fave, but his new one, Rant, Is awse.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
deadritual In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-08-13 06:12:00 +0000 UTC]
lulluby was pretty good. i haven't read rant yet...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Emmoyenne [2007-08-12 06:58:33 +0000 UTC]
Definitely a joy to read. The religious part seems a bit out of place.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to Emmoyenne [2007-08-12 16:01:53 +0000 UTC]
it just kind of wormed its way in there. it was a sunday at the laundromat when i wrote it. lots of religion flies around a harlem laundry room on a sunday. thanks for the comment!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Emmoyenne In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-08-12 23:14:14 +0000 UTC]
It's excellent use of irony, especially the part mentioning worship right next to mentioning annoying children playing with discarded needles.
Is New York a secular city, or are the people more religious?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
stefer23 [2007-08-12 06:14:21 +0000 UTC]
Whoops, you've forgotten to put an apostophe in can't.
It's right after the "The freshness of a million mountains that cant be found on a single map"( Dry Clean Only, silenceinnumbers)
And there's one in "That what you cant carry, stays dirty" (Dry Clean Only, silenceinnumbers)
I'm sorry if you've heard this a million times, just wanted to help out.
Great piece, by the way.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to stefer23 [2007-08-12 16:02:28 +0000 UTC]
i am the king of typos.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
evil-dwarf [2007-08-12 06:12:46 +0000 UTC]
This must be the most humorous (and extremely well written), raw, satirical piece of work I've ever read.
I hope to see more of your work.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
evil-dwarf In reply to evil-dwarf [2007-08-13 05:03:34 +0000 UTC]
Thanks, I truly intend to. I'm sure it's just as good as what you have written here.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
silenceinnumbers In reply to evil-dwarf [2007-08-12 16:30:16 +0000 UTC]
thanks a lot. theres a gallery full. feel free.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
silenceinnumbers In reply to EranFowler [2007-08-12 16:31:13 +0000 UTC]
compliment, i hope.
ill say thanks anyway. i love chuck.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Renoa-Heartilly [2007-08-12 06:09:48 +0000 UTC]
thank god dad bought us an automatic washing machine
i loved reading every bit of it xD very informatice and i almost feel a few years older just by reaching the end T_T'
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
panda-smiles [2007-08-12 03:54:04 +0000 UTC]
Incredibly written! Very vivid.
I hate laundry enough as it is right now...I'm dreading when I head to college next week and have to use their laundry rooms :[
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to panda-smiles [2007-08-12 16:32:25 +0000 UTC]
padlock your underwear together. college laundry rooms are the birthplace of sketch.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
panda-smiles In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-08-12 20:04:52 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, there was actually this guy who was arrested for stealing lady's underwear from my college o -o;
Thanks for the tip, haha~
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
MaskedGirl [2007-08-12 03:31:39 +0000 UTC]
Stupid laundry. Stupid, stupid, stupid laundry. I broke a finger doing my laundry two weeks ago. Snapped it damn near in half on the bloody door.
Stupid washing machine doors!
Oh well, love this work. It's amazing. Nice job.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to MaskedGirl [2007-08-12 16:32:47 +0000 UTC]
LAUNDRY INJURY!
thats heinous.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
MaskedGirl In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-08-12 19:17:07 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, it was like losing a limb in a war! Except there's no attacking army, just that stupid tumble-dryer. XD
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to MaskedGirl [2007-08-12 20:08:45 +0000 UTC]
that sounds like something out of a really fucked up 80's horror movie.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
MaskedGirl In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-08-12 21:50:31 +0000 UTC]
I would watch a horror movie like that. XD
Damn... maybe I should add scary-tumble-dryers to my next horror story. o o;
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to MaskedGirl [2007-08-12 21:55:50 +0000 UTC]
how long would it take the stalward hero to figure out that he just has to unplug them? or avoid them? as theyre fairly stationary?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
MaskedGirl In reply to silenceinnumbers [2007-08-12 21:57:40 +0000 UTC]
I have no clue. Seeing as it would be an 80's mock-up, he might be eaten, tumble-dried to death, and spat out before he even had time to contemplate it. XD
And then there would be swirling colors, and some retro music of the latest band playing for credits.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
VelvetxChains [2007-08-12 02:03:53 +0000 UTC]
Wow. I never knew washing laundry could turn one into a tortured poet. (I kid, I kid). Now I never want to do laundry at a laundromat. But if I ever do, at least I know there are people out there suffering just as much (and will be sure to wear giant headphones so the woman doesn't try to ask for me to let her kids play games on my laptop).
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
silenceinnumbers In reply to VelvetxChains [2007-08-12 16:34:24 +0000 UTC]
just get a t-shirt that says
" i was a featured guest on NBC's "To catch a predator" last week"
i think that might solve all sorts of problems.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
RayAndEdward [2007-08-12 01:11:18 +0000 UTC]
amazing! That was incredible and hiarious! I loved it! You deserve the DD! you're an amazing writter!
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