Wash and Dry in Air Conditioning

Yes, if you have to "hang out" while your clothes get clean, you might as well be as comfortable as possible. At 5:30a.m., I headed to the 24/7 , 2620 S. Big Bend, Maplewood, MO, 63143. Nestled among other businesses (McDonald's, Conoco Gas Station, Porter's Fried Chicken, and a pool hall, The Cue), it was a real "find".

The attendant on duty greeted me warmly. The cost of the washing machine was $3.00 for a double load and FREE DRY "for clothes washed here". The washing machines were mostly front-loading "Dexters" with a row of old-fashioned top-loading "Maytags" along the back wall. Reading materials were a bit scarce ("West End Word" and "Thrifty Nickel") so I was glad that I brought a novel.

I popped my two loads of dirty clothes into the front-loader. Yes, I am a bachelor and long ago quit sorting clothes by colors. The old-fashioned pay phone on the wall was out of order, but the soda and snack machines were functional. No WIFI, but two flat-screen televisions at either end of the room were tuned low to different channels so they did not cancel each other out. Several large green plants were thriving under the overhead fluorescent lights.

Promptly at 6:00a.m. my clothes were washed and a new attendant had arrived. (Yes, you can pay extra to drop off your dirty laundry and the attendant will wash, dry, and fold it for you to pick up). I transferred my clothes by cart to the FREE DRY machines and passed the time pumping quarters into Ms Pacman video game and the two pinball machines ("Monopoly" and "Champion Pub", boxing). My clothes were clean and done in an hour. I plan to use this air-conditioned laundry more in the upcoming hot, hot summer months!