Max was leaning on Fran, his favorite washing machine in his laundromat and, as often the case, was talking to her about his “very nice” customers when one of them rushed in.
Well-dressed young woman said to Max as she took a red cocktail dress out of a bag:
“Hi Max, I am in a desperate hurry! Could you please do this quickly? There is a stain here. I was at a work function last night and somebody must have spilt something on it. I can’t get it out. I need the dress for another function tonight. I need it in half an hour. No later than 7pm.”
Max:
“Hi Marsha! No problem. I … ….”
The young woman left before Max could say any more. After removing the stain Max put the dress in Fran.
Fran was about to introduce herself when the red cocktail dress spoke first:
“Work function! Ha! She went to a bar last night by herself, saying something about ‘last chance for some fun’. She found a man at the bar and they went back to her apartment. She was still wearing me when they had sex – and he left a white stain.”
Fran:
“I have heard this type of story from many dresses that I have washed. Many of them have lots of experience with white stains. How long have you been off-the-shop-rack and with your wearer?”
Red cocktail dress:
“Two days.”
Fran:
Quick sex?”
Red cocktail dress:
“I suppose. But, I don’t know for sure. This was my first time! They both fell asleep soon after. And what could I do? I could only lay there! This morning she got into a panic. She asked to him to leave ‘now’, and then began cleaning everything. But she only saw this white stuff on me when she wanted to wear me again.”
Fran:
“I have heard many such stories before. I have been here for nearly 20 years, so I can tell you lots. But, sometimes, after the dresses I get to wash the trousers and they often tell a different story. Human life is very complex. They have this thing called ‘feelings’.”
Red cocktail dress:
“What are feelings?”
Fran:
“I do not exactly know, but I like Max a lot and he likes me, and I think this is ‘feelings’. I am not young and not the best washing machine in this laundry, but he keeps me. And, I like it when he talks to me.”
Red cocktail dress:
“Mmnn. I don’t think that I like Marsha.”
Fran:
“Well, right now the most important thing is that I get you clean. Yes, I think that the stain is gone! But we can’t stop now. There is a cycle – a sort of procedure – we have to follow. We must continue for another fifteen minutes.”
Max took the dress from the washing machine, examined it, and said:
“Well done Fran. You are the best washing machine!”
Marsha to Max after her return to collect the dress:
“Max, you are wonderful! You have saved my life! My fiancée man will be here in fifteen minutes. Yesterday, he asked me to marry him.”
As Marsha she rushed out the door, Max leant on Fran and said:
“Fran. She will be a good wife. I am sure that she loves only him and would never lie to him.”