Laudromat Romance: A Fiction Story

I’m Chris Williams, an unmarried guy spending this wonderful cool summer evening on a trip to the local laundromat. No washer or dryer facilities in my condo and so it’s my usual every two weeks trip to the all-night laundromat. As I look into the window before entering I see there is only one person still doing laundry at nearly 11 at night. She appears to be folding female underwear.

I enter, and she gives me a half smile and a faint hello. I return the salutation and notice that she is wearing designer jeans along with a dark blue sweatshirt emblazoned with the logo of California State University. She looks as if she might be a movie starlet who did not have a date for the night, and she has short red hair, perfect clear skin, and a body that says athlete.

I go about my business of throwing my clothes in two large washers, and then proceed to the soap vending machine, make my purchase, return to fill the washers with the soap, close the lids, put money in the coin slots, and the machines start on their wash journeys. I make it a point, when returning to my two waiting washers, to pass Ms. Night Owl.

I sit on a bench opposite my washers and start reading “Daily Variety,” the bible of the Hollywood entertainment industry. She is almost finished placing all her dried laundry into the large plastic bag that comes from one of the better stores on Rodeo Drive.

She is humming, not particularly loudly but enough that I stop reading, look up, smile at her and say, “That’s the wonderful aria from Carmen.” Her look shows that she appreciates my knowledge of opera.

I notice her hands and that she is not wearing rings on any of her fingers as she starts passing me on her way out of the door.

It is then that she stops in front of me and gives me a look that tells me she is wondering what I am thinking.

She hesitates before asking, “Are you in the industry?” I reply that I am the owner of a management firm specializing in placing actors, singers, writers, and anyone else wishing to work in movies or television.

“WOW” escapes from her lovely lips as she quickly drops the plastic bag of her laundry, opens her Coach purse, and whips out a card that reads “Susie Brown – Comedy Writer” with her cell phone and email information.

We continue to talk for quite a while, in fact until both of my washers complete their dryer cycles. We then go to my condo to sign the management contract.

Albert Zimbler is a 92-year-old author of six humor short story books on Amazon of which MORE DATING AND MATING SECRETS OF SENIORS AND OTHER HUMOR SHORT STORIES is the latest. He also teaches senior improv.

Click here for an interview of Al Zimbler on “The Daily Author.”