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Ghosts in the Laundromat
The Quick Mat on the corner street was rumored to have ghosts but Gabrielle Woo knew it wasn't true as it was her second sister who started the rumor to get people interested in the place. Their mother thought it was a great idea as she made Jenny their publicist although Gabby didn't think they need a publicist for a laundromat.
During the week days, Gabby, the fourth sister of five, was behind the counter in the back of the store where she sat for twelve hours until closing time. Most she was there to answer questions such as how much for a cup of detergent even though it said so on the machines. Everything was in the two vending machines at the front so Gabby rarely had to do anything. But if you want her to keep an eye on your stuff, she would refuse. It wasn't her job or so she claimed.
The Mat was opened from 10am to 10pm. Those who visited the laundromat before 10am or after 10pm would be turned out by Gabby. She never liked to stay overtime nor open early.
From her counter, if Gabby stood up, she could see the whole space. If there was something going on, she would see it. But she never saw ghosts. Thieves of phones or wallets or even underwear, yes, but no ghosts. Many times when a customer's clothes got washed, dried and folded without anyone's knowledge, she dismissed it as some good samaritan's deed.
One Wednesday at about 4 pm, Gabby was at her usual place behind the counter when a couple approached. The man had a beard and wore a denim jacket with a small unicorn patch on the upper left side. His companion, a woman a few inches shorter than him and in an oversize denim jacket with the same unicorn patch, remained silent but her eyes were on Gabby. The man asked if the Mat offered drop off service. Gabby said no. Self-service only. It said so on the sign by the door. The man thanked her and with his two sacks, walked toward the washers with the woman following him.
Gabby got busy chewing her strawberry flavored twizzlers and didn't pay attention to the couple. Eventually, she fell asleep in her chair.
An hour or so later, something was nudging her awake. She stood up to stretch. The place was empty. She walked around the counter and took a turn around the space. There was still about three hours until closing.
As she passed the washers, she turned to look at the other side at the dryers. Dryer number 5 and number 6 had their doors opened. Clothes were being taking out of them, folded and neatly placed on the narrow table in the center of the room. Gabby rubbed her eyes and still, the clothes were moving by themselves. When all the clothes had been taken out and folded, leaving three piles sorted by color, the doors to number 5 and 6 closed gently.
Gabby looked around to see if anyone else witnessed this. Aside from another dryer turning a few feet away, there was no one around. It wasn't real, she thought. It was all in her mind. One side of her wanted to believe what she saw but the other side wanted to chide her for being stupid. Ghosts didn't exist. And if they did, what would be the point of them coming here doing laundry?
Once more, Gabby walked around the Mat, trying to shake away what she had seen. She returned behind the counter and took a sip of her honey tea. It was all her imagination. She had been eating a bit too much sugar treats. In one of the magazines she subscribed, there was an article on how sugar could rewire your brain. It was the twizzlers. And the m&m's. And the chocolate bars' fault. She turned to look at the large clock behind her. Thirty-six minutes and she will be going home.
After awhile, she fell asleep again. The bell on the counter rang rather loudly. It woke her up. She will have to tell her mother to remove it as it cut into her nap time. "Yes?" she said, covering a yawn.
The previous couple with the denim jackets and their unicorn patches were back. The woman beside him was watching the man. He said, "I was wondering if you had seen a small unicorn keychain. It belonged to my daughter. She had left it in one of her pants' pocket and with the laundry done, maybe you have seen it."
Gabby shook her head. "Sorry. I didn't see it."
The man nodded. "Thanks anyway. Oh, thanks for doing our laundry. I should have come back earlier but time just ran away from me. Thanks again."
Gabby smiled. She wasn't going to take credit and yet, she wasn't going to deny it. Their laundry was done and that was the important thing.
The man carried his two sacks back down the isle. The woman met Gabby's eyes and smiled before following the man.
Gabby sat down again. The bell on the door rang signaling their exit. She checked the clock behind her: exactly 10 pm. Time to go home.
As she started checking the machines and making sure they were empty and were turned off, the woman with the denim jacket with the unicorn patch was suddenly there.
"We're close," said Gabby. She closed the door to the last of the dryers and began inspecting the washers but the woman followed her.
"Didn't I say we're close? That means you have to leave." Gabby pulled out a sock from a washer and dropped it on the table.
The woman shook her head.
"What does that mean? You won't leave?"
The woman's lips twitched.
Gabby returned to the counter and retrieved her jacket hanging on the wall and put it on. As she gathered her shoulder bag and threw in her books, magazines and snacks, she found a small unicorn doll attached to a key ring on the counter. She looked around. There was no one about. Where the heck did that key chain come from? She grabbed it and put it inside the drawer under the counter. If they come again, she will give it back to them or else it will stay there until someone decides to clean that drawer.
One more year at this place and she will have saved enough to get a college degree and get a real job. She was still a little miffed at her mother for refusing to pay for her education. Why would earning money for her education teach her anything? Sometimes Gabby wondered if her father was alive, would he have agreed with her mother?
She walked toward the front where she turned off the lights and stepped out. Holding the door opened, she glanced at the woman. "Aren't you coming out?"
The woman stood at the threshold just inside the store. Shafts of streetlights fell on the top half of her body. Her lips twitched again. And then she faded away.
Gabby blinked and stilled. Was that a... Quickly, she closed and locked the door, pulled down the metal security gate, locked that and rushed off. If that was a ghost, she will just have to deal with her tomorrow or never. She could ask her mother if she could work in one of her cafe's instead. Yes, that is what she will do. No reason to hang around a laundromat with a ghost or had there been more than one? Some of the customers did seem rather odd, not talking much. And maybe they were the ones doing the laundries without anyone seeing?
No, she couldn't quit the laundromat. She hated her mother's cafes - they were all so noisy. The Mat was quieter. She could handle a few ghosts. No big deal. She paused. She was going the wrong way. With a turn, she walked back in the direction of the laundromat. Yes, she will just have to deal with it.
As she near the Quick Mat, she saw the man with the denim jacket was standing there staring at the closed store. She was about to walk past him but he called out.
She put on a smile and turned to face him. "The Mat is closed. Come back tomorrow " She thought about the unicorn key chain inside the drawer.
"I know you're close but could you let me check the place again? My daughter can't sleep without the keychain. It was a final gift from her mother. Please." The man pressed his thin hands together.
It was only three minutes after 10. She will just have to be a little late getting home.
Gabby took out her key from her bag and began unlocking the security gate. She got the door opened and told him to wait there while she go check. After turning on the lights, she rushed toward the back, behind the counter, retrieved the keychain and rushed right out.
The man grabbed the keychain from her opened palm. "Thank you! You're a savior. Thank you!" He hurried away.
Gabby turned back and the woman with the denim jacket with the unicorn patch was standing just within the door. She mouthed thank you, smiled and faded away. In a rush, Gabby relocked everything and ran in the direction of home. Just a few ghosts. Nothing she couldn't handle.
This was lovely and at least the ghosts were nice people and helpful too.
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