Taxi Driver and Passenger Bond Over Fondness for Laundromats

The writer recently sat in a taxi cab in Las Vegas where the conversation turned to laundromats. While the writer expressed gratitude for having a washer and dryer in their suburban home, the friend in the back seat confessed a genuine fondness for those establishments. The taxi driver agreed with the friend, leading the writer to question the sanity of the two passengers and their safety in the vehicle.

The writer’s aversion stems from the fear of not having enough quarters to complete a load. This anxiety is distinct from their friend’s situation. That friend, who lives in another state, owns a functioning washer and dryer at home but chooses to skip them. The decision follows a small fire caused by a short-circuit in the dryer years ago. Instead of hiring an electrician, the friend simply stopped using the appliance, citing a preference for the atmosphere of a laundromat.

The friend enjoys the flowery scent of detergent and the presence of students, fast-food workers, and apartment dwellers. She also appreciates the physical act of claiming a machine. Her preferred location doubles as a bar, where she can drink a margarita while waiting for her clothes. This model contrasts with the writer’s experience in Madrid last year, where a friend struggled to operate a washer-dryer combo located in the kitchen, leaving them to hang wet clothes on a balcony.

Pop culture offers a familiar depiction of these spaces. A 1994 episode of the sitcom "Friends" shows a character teaching a wealthy woman how to use a Manhattan laundromat. The scene involves separating white and colored fabrics and defending a machine from aggressive locals. The writer recalls similar struggles during college, when they avoided doing laundry by purchasing new underwear. By the end of their studies, they owned 60 pounds of unwashed undergarments.

Travel habits have refined the writer’s approach to laundry. They now bring enough clothing for only five days, knowing they can find a service to wash the items. They prefer commercial laundry services over hotel dryers, which are often expensive. In one instance in Kenya, the writer had clothes pounded on a rock by local Masai ladies, resulting in stiff but clean garments.

The writer views laundromats as a relic of college life, comparable to drinking from red plastic cups at fraternity parties. They do not enjoy standing by a machine during a vacation. The column concludes with an invitation for readers to email an ending to the piece. The contact email provided is mfisher@scng.com.