One morning as Fran washed, Max noticed that Fran was leaking water. Max called the washing machine repair man, named Larry, that he usually used to repair any of his washers that had problems.
Larry told Max that: “Fran is old. It might take a day or two to find a part that fits her.”
As usual, Larry was in no hurry to leave – preferring instead to ask for a cup of coffee and gossip. Larry told Max about all the women he was meeting on dating sites and how much sex he was having.
Larry then asked Max a very awkward question: “When was the last time you had sex?”
When Max said nothing, Larry smiled and said: “Never? Ok. I will put you on a dating site.”
Max was uncertain about this idea but Larry was clearly amused and got to work. He used his smart phone to take a photo of Max, which actually looked quite good – in part because Max, in accordance with his profession and the urgings of his aunty who owned the laundromat before he inherited it, had an interest in clothes and was generally well dressed.
It was not long before Larry had finished Max’s profile on a dating site. There were, of course, a few exaggerations – one might say “lies”.
Larry told Max that: “Everyone lies on these sites, and we are not actually lying – only exaggerating a little!”
Before he left, Larry sent messages to several women on the dating site indicating that Max was interested in them. Larry returned the next day.
Larry told Max that: “It was not easy to find a part for Fran, but I did. It is good as new and I will install it now.”
Larry then asked Max it there were: “Any messages on the dating site?”
Taking the phone from Max, Larry could see that Max had received some replies but he had not replied. So Larry again took Max’s phone and send some messages giving the address of the laundromat.
The next afternoon a woman named Sally arrived at the laundromat looking for Max. She was somewhat younger than he but nicely dressed.
Sally to Max: “As soon as I saw your photo, I knew that I wanted to meet you. You are so attractive. I have also brought some of my best clothes for you to wash and take care of.”
When Max told Sally that he could not leave the laundromat and go to a coffee shop as she wanted, she went and brought some take-away coffee and biscuits.
Max clearly liked the attention.
Larry had switched-off Fran’s electricity supply when repairing her, so Fran knew nothing of Max being on a dating site until she washed Sally’s clothes.
Fran was immediately jealous and wanted to know more about Sally – and particularly anything bad about her!
Sally’s clothes said that she lived with a man who did not have a job.
In fact, this man had just been released from prison where he had been for a thing called “fraud”. Sally’s clothes did not know what “fraud” was, so Fran told them.
Fran then asked Sally’s clothes: “But why is she here now with Max?”
One of the clothes items being washed said: “We think it is because he has 10 laundromats and much money. Sally’s man said something like ‘he is a good target for us’.”
Fran than told the clothes that: “Max only has this laundromat. And he only has it because his aunt left it to him when she died.”
Fran wanted to warn Max but could not, and Sally’s clothes showed little sympathy for her situation.
Fran needed to do the wash cycle that Max specified when he pushed the buttons to start her, and even her rising anger could not lead to a change – even though she wanted to make life tough for both Stacy and her clothes.
But luck was to be on Fran’s side. In order to increase the profitability of his work for Max, Larry had bought an old second-hand part in poor condition – it was certainly not “as good as new” – and used it to repair Fran.
At this very moment this second-hand part failed and hot soapy water spewed out of Fran spraying Sally.
Sally angrily said to Max: “You have 10 laundromats. Why do you keep this crappy old washing machine?”
Max told Sally that: “Fran is my favorite washing machine, and I only have this laundromat.”
Sally glared at Max and said: “You are stupid.”
Sally then stormed out the laundromat.
Fran was not happy with her damaged water pipe, but was happy when Max lovingly opened the door and removed Sally’s clothes and threw them into a basket.
As Max checked the damaged part, Fran began singing to herself:
“Sally’s stain has been washed away, but Larry’s lie hasn’t”.