The Laundromat

Doing laundry is probably the most mundane chore that man is regulated to by their wives. Every week it is my dutiful obligation to keep the sanctity of marriage that I obediently comply in venturing off to the laundromat. In keeping with those never ending honey do lists there is no respite from "when you finish could you do this." I am constantly being at the beckon call. Never before in my wildest imagination would I have ever thought of being coerced into what many a man would deem as women's work. But, here I am every week at the laundromat.

I wile away the hours until the last sheet is dry. I really don't mind gazing our the floor to ceiling glass windows watching all the cars go by. Today though practically every car looks the same as any other car. It's not like it was when I was growing up. In those days you could actually tell a Chevy from a Jaguar, a Ford from a Cadillac. But, now the days of individualism much like our society has morphed together where the individualistic traits that set the Automobile industry apart, a rugged individualism that symbolized what America use to be is no longer apparent today.

As I turn away from the window the hypnotic tumbling of the dryer grabs my attention. If it wasn't so busy in here one could fall asleep being mesmerized by the dryers constant spinning. I have met many an acquaintance in my weekly trek to this laundromat. Held many an interesting conversation with the people I meet. We often talk about not only local affairs like the constant increases one sees in either their water or electric bill but what this years race for the White House means for our nation. The people I talk too all concluded that the world is filled with so many unfulfilled dreams. We have also realized the chaotic existence of today much of what is actually happening is being distorted by every major news outlet there is. That brings a very serious question do we really know the actual facts or circumstances surrounding many of the news items we hear on TV or read in the newspapers?

As our conversations dwell on the future we focus on this years Presidential election. On one hand we have a candidate who is viewed as despicable and the other deplorable it makes us wonder what kind of future will tomorrow bring. It is as though this whole election cycle is nothing more than a low level soap opera playing out the fraud, corruption, lies and deceit that is all to commonplace in politics and in our governmental officials today. It really is a very sad commentary for our society to have to endure two of the most incorrigible public figures seeking the highest office in America.

I often talk about how my parents were able of survive the Great Depression, managed to live "well" into their 90's and do so with very little financial or health difficulties. When we look around today the actual life expectancy for so many impoverished is not as long as it was just 30 years ago. The processed and GMO food sources has unleashed a treasure trove of health related diseases that were minimized back when I was young. Compound this is the fact that millions of Americans are living from a miserably small paycheck to paycheck and thousands more with no paycheck at all. And, when you throw in the fact that many retirees are subsiding only on their Social Security which has yet to keep pace with the ever rising cost of living makes for a very depressing situation for the majority of Americans. But, all we hear or read is how great everything is.

While our clothes continue spinning in the dryers the TV comes on and reports that news coming out of Russia a strong supporter of the Russian President is threatening the American Voter to vote for one main candidate or face the prospect of a Nuclear War. As we stand stunned at this new revelation coming from Russia commandeering our democratic process we begin to further our discussion on what is actually happening to the United States today. When we read of WikiLeaks, those infamous e-mails that substantiate Clinton's distain for the common good all the while the newspapers and the candidates themselves continue to send this election down into the gutter just makes us wonder even more about how our future will play out.

We keep asking where is the decency, the decorum that prevailed in years past? But, all we hear today are accusations of various improprieties that have no bearing on the welfare of us here in this laundromat. We came to the conclusion that every candidate should come to any laundromat and actually listen to the issues that are important to the patrons of the laundromats. Maybe if they would actually sit down and listen to the concerns of people like Tom, Rebecca or my self and actually commit to implement solutions to the everyday problems we all face like lowering our water or electric bills maybe this country could get it's act together. But, until then we here in the laundromat like the spinning of those dryers view the political season today as actually spinning out of control.
By Dr. Tim G Williams