LAUNDRY

Laundry must be another one of those cultural differences found throughout the world. The country you're in determines the method of completing the task. People everywhere have to do laundry, you know.

This picture was taken in Venice, Italy and portrays just ONE method of doing that familiar chore. I suppose this might be preferable to beating clothes against a rock down by a river. Give me my old standard GE washer and dryer any day. However, I must admit that nothing smells as good as sheets dried on an old clothesline in the middle of a hot summer day! Those were the days!

Coit Road in Dallas is one of those main arteries that connect Plano with downtown Dallas. About halfway through the journey is an amazing sight. On the east side of the road located in one of the many strip malls is a laundry/dry cleaning business. It's been there for many years and you can't help but notice it.

The sign above the storefront business reads: DECENT CLEANERS! Yep, not exceptional, not excellent, not extraordinary....just decent. I'm sure that those hard working owners have relocated from another country and somehow missed the little nuance of translation. Maybe they named it that on purpose, just to draw attention. It certainly does that, AND lots of laughter and wonder!

Does this mean that only one leg of my pants is washed? If the right sleeve of my favorite sweater is cleaned is the left left dirty for the next visit? Is the spot on my silk blouse now a permanent decorative stain? Are the prices adjusted for the "decent" job?

Perhaps the curse of perfectionism is only visited on Americans.
Maybe we're all just too "uptight" with our expectations.

I'm thinking that the next time I'm in Dallas I need to stop in and get to know those folks!