Loadin' up at the Laundramat

[Arkie John]

I have been threatening to write this story for about three or four weeks. So, now, here it goes.

Some of you old heads on this forum know that Linda, Tom and I grew up in a quaint little hamlet in Saline County Arkansas. It had a population of about 10,000, countin' horses, chickens and cows. So, as you may imagine, there was not a lot for a boy to do--especially when money did NOT grow on trees. The setting: Benton, Arkansas. The time: about 1959.

Now in the big city of Benton, there was THE picture show, THE drive-in theatre, THE swimmin' pool, THE Dairy Queen...you get it. Momma had a washin' machine one time but I dorked around and got my arm caught in that ringer thingy--all the way up to my elbow. Momma did a world-record 40 yard dash (in her flip-flops no doubt) from the clothes line to the washin' machine, when she heard me bellerin' and squallin'. (I was about six when THAT happened)

Well, the washin' machine eventually gave out and havin' no choice, she had to return, once again to the Laundramat over at the corner of North Street and Lillian.

Once a week, here she'd go with a few baskets full of clothes and us kids in tow. I don't know how she did it year in and year out, but she did, never once to complain. She would get provoked at me for readin' all the nasty messages on the bathroom wall though. How did she know?) I had to repent of that quick, one time or she threatened to tell daddy when he got home. I didn't wanna go there, to be sure.

Actually goin to the laundramat was a fun thing for us. We got to meet new kids and go someplace different. We just made the simplest things fun. The building had a flat roof and it was cut into a clay bank somewhat. So, during the washing cycles, I would get on top of the building and meddle around. That was good for a time. Then it came to me--ALL AT ONCE.

When back in the laundramat, I wandered over to some of the unused machines and peered between them. Looking deep down to the floor...if only I could just scoot that machine a little. Ummmmmmph! Opps! Ahhh. Something glittered down there. That place hadn't seen daylight in YEARS. Son, it was real sho-nuff money!! When momma wasn't lookin' I uprooted that machine and then another and another and found a pocket full of change and a basket full of lint. (I separated it) Then, I showed it to momma and she just looked around carefully and laughed out loud. Daddy was proud of me. He told me at the dinner table that first time I cashed in.

Well, that was NOT the end of it. I looked forward to wash day, SON! I got to where I could unscrew the big screw on top of the agitator and it actually came OFF. Under many of them was a BUNCH of change ranging from pennies, nickles and dimes to occasional quarters!!! I was rich--RICH.

One time, for some reason (I'll bet it was Saturday) one wash day, daddy came along or either came to the washateria as we were all doin' our thang. I showed daddy what I was doing, but there were a few of the machines that were contrary. I never could put enough mustard on 'em to get the agitators off the machines, not ever. Now, daddy was of average frame, but muscled up well above average and wirey-strong because he was a carpenter. So I asked, "Daddy, would you come over here and unscrew these machines? I know you can do it." Momma just rolled her eyes. Daddy took to it BIG TIME. THe first one or two were good. Baby I cashed in.

Linda was over there pouting by momma by now as I was tryin' to make my fortune. Then, things started to where I couldn't control them anymore. Tommy was still a baby and he didn't have a clue and didn't care what was agoin' on, but Linda (sigh) oh, she was all pitiful and and teared up and daddy's heart melted on the spot, above my earnest protests. "Now, son, you've done real well here, don't you think you ought to share with your little sister? Hmmmmmm?" This was MY business venture, I thought. I was irked and he knew it. Hells bells, I was almost to the point to where I could go to Sterling's and buy that Roy Rogers gun and holster set I'd been covetin'. But Nooooooo no no no no. Here SHE comes, with daddy wrapped around her little chislin' finger. "This one will be Sissy's," he said.

If I'm a-lyin, I'm a-dyin. He put his vice grip on that puppy and half a horde from Benton State Bank was under that mother wong! I set up to screamin and hollerin and Linda was just beaming and shreaking. Daddy and momma were having fun too, watchin' us little heathens. THen it HIT me. THere wasn't NONE of it mine. I walked around all stiff legged, doin' a little poutin' of my own, all swelled up like a poisoned pup. Daddy came over and counselled me for a time before I realized that I was gettin' NOWHERE. So, I accepted it as it was. I liked bein' selfish!

Nevertheless, Linda and I were rich, relatively speaking. Daddy taught me a lesson that day and so did Linda! I'd get the little weasle back--and HOW, but it would be another day. THe best I remember, we went to the Dairy Queen for one of those few and far between coke-floats. I can't remember who got what, but I was hoping Linda would have to buy. I imagine, as always was the case, daddy provided and they both smiled.

What a time I had; LOADIN' UP AT THE LAUNDRAMAT.

Don't tell anyone, but while I was in Georgia last month. I found my little ole' self in a laundramat . . .alone. . .at 10:30pm, washing clothes. Well, ole habits dyin' hard.....uhh...

You just don't know now,....DO YOU?????

Thanks for comin' along as I LOADED UP AT THE LAUNDRAMAT! Bless our souls it was FUN growin' up in Benton. <><

Arkie John

 

[Micheal_R]

Great story Arkie.. Funny how it goes. Up here, we have a garbage dump.....and people bring all manner of things to it. Including washers and dryers.

I just could not let it go so I started doing what you have described. And I ,too came out with a pile of money. However, I also found a very nice gold ring. With a bit of searching [we are, after all , a community of 350 people] I found the owner and returned it. She was some pleased.

The money I kept as a 'finders fee'

all the best

M

 

[Arkie John]

n/t

 

[Royal]

We used to stuff the coin return up on the pay phones and make a killing some times. It was not honest but that didn't slow me down much.

When they came out with the protected returns it shut me down though

 

[Arkie John]

and closed off with crown caps.

I'll bet you remember, as well, the old coke machines that were a vat of cold water with the necks of the bottles sliding between two rails to a gate...and the gate would only come open when one of us kids would put in a dime.

Well, it didn't take us long to figure out that a boy could take a church key and pop the crown caps off the selected bottle and then take a straw and suck out the contents. OH YEAH!

Lord, forgive me (tsk, tsk) [I mean, really] :b


arkie

 

[david(tx)]

we had a washing machine in the house but no dryer.in the winter we would do several loads of wash,then haul them to the laundrymat to dry.

also in the winter it was warm in there.we would stop in there at night on the way home from town to smoke a cigarette.

 

[VT Dave]

somebody did that to my dad's machine! Great story!

Dave

 

[Arkie John]

no, I have never been to your lovely state. Some of my mother's family is from there.

Truth is, nowadays with all these little spy cameras, that sort of career would be short-lived.:b

AJ

 

[Kieth-Tx]

n/t

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

I would never have thought of money being at a laundromat. That was pretty smart thinking on your part. I also noticed that a certain person wanted to join in on the harvest of coins.

The only thing we did that was similar would be picking up soda pop bottles beside the road which we were paid two cents per bottle at Baker's Big Star grocery store. We would collect them until we had a wagon full, then cash them in. One time, after we cashed the bottles in, as we were leaving the store, I noticed that there were two empty cases setting out back of the store. I could not believe my eyes, two full cases of bottles, should I or shouldn't I do what I was thinking! Well, the "should I" won and I loaded the two cases of bottles onto the wagon and went back inside the store. Mr. Baker was not dumb, I got caught and he called my Mother and told her what I had done. That evening, my Father tanned my hide good, it hurt to sit down for almost a week. I was eight years old at the time, and my career of crime lasted every bit of ten minutes.

Within a few years, I would work odd jobs at cleaning stables, rounding up stray cows, fixing fences, even worked a few auctions sorting cows. I think that the job I disliked the most was loading hay out in the field, hard work that just plumb wore you out by the end of the day. By the time I hit high school, I would enter a few weekend rodeos in the area and on occasion would win a few dollars roping calves. During this time, two good horse trainers took me under their wings and started teaching me how to train horses. I have always loved horses and anything related to them.

Arkie John, thanks for posting your story, it brought back some great memories to me. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Arkie John]

...it will generate some MORE good memories to think about! Thanks for reading and posting.<><

AJ

 

[Arkie John]

n/t

 

[david(tx)]

only your a little older because i remember them being a nickel on the deposit.we would walk the culvert on the road to our street and pick them up and anywhere we could find them.

when we first got back to texas when my dad retired from the service we lived in a ft.worth suburb for about three months.there was a kid down the street that had a pet coon and my brother ran around with him.

some people on the street kept their soda pop bottles in their garages and would leave the doors open.i heard my brother and this other kid plotting to steal these bottles,and i started to walk away,when my brother threatened me to come back and told me if i told on them he would beat my butt.

well,they did the dirty deed and he made me take 2.50 of the money they got so i wouldn't sqeal on them.

i think i bought a stiletto type pocket kife and some candy.my concious bothered me because i had been taught better,and the worst thing in the world to my dad was a thief.

my brother was the rebel of all us kids and he always made me an accomplice some way or the other so i couldn't tell.i still resent the way he did me sometimes even today,maybe it was because he blackmailed me sometimes.

oh well,that's another story.

 

[Royal]

they used to be worth 2 cents and I bought many a gallon of gas for my first car that way.

There was a for the time Huge ammusement park on a local lake. Walled Lake Amusement park and even Glen Miller played at their Pavilion.

The main road running from Walled Lake back then to our area was Pontiac Trail. The partyers would travel that road and toss their empties and sometimes full bottles. The full ones were usually skunky by the time we got to them but sometimes not.

I can rememeber filling my back seat to the top of the front seat with empties. Boy did the local grocery store love to see us coming. I say us because there was usually three of us.

Mary and I have picked thousands of bottles out of the South Branch of the Ausable River in the last three years. I paid for a canoe with them. the problem is many are junk and just take a ride to the dump but there are at least out of the river. I have found a few old blob top from the late 1800's too.

When we first started canoeing that river it was a mess and we would pull a hundred to a hundred and fifty on a run but now 10 or 15 is the norm and I am happy for it. After a busy weekend of pigs there may be more but during the week it is awful nice to be able to just enjoy the river...

 

[Lil Brother]

a TRADITION, brother. Yes, even Lil Brother remembers putting that same MOJO on the same machines at the same laundermat! I too, got rich. In fact, I made enough money to go next door to the printing company and buy myself a piece of posterboard or two!(us Garretts all liked to draw).

You were long gone by the time I started doing it and it very well could have been my Daddy that taught me! I also used to put gum up in the coin returns of the many wonderful vending machines that the laundermat had to offer. Once in a while I could even shake a FULL DINNER candy bar out of the TOMS machine!

Good story brother!

Lil Brother

 

[Arkie John]

...makes a big brother feel mighty proud.

Johnboy

 

[Kieth-Tx]

n/t

 

[Sunny]

I do the same thing, Royal. We learned a lot from our daddy and his love of the outdoors. He hated people that littered all over the place, just because they were too lazy to put it in a garbage can, or take back home and dispose of it properly.

I just spent five days on Lake Degray, and picked up several beer cans, etc. down by the lake shore. I have little ones who could get hurt, also. People just do not appreciate what they have given to them.

 

[Sunny]

it will not take it!!!

 

[Royal]

and cans to the lake FULL, why is it so dang hard to carry them back home empty?? Pigs is why