Laundry Day

Have you heard my story about my laundry situation yet?  If you have, you can skip this post if you want.  If not, read on.

When I first rented this apartment (while I was still in the States), I was told there was a washing machine up on the roof as well as an ecologically sound dryer (that would be clothes lines).  That's almost exclusively how laundry set-ups are here, both in Cotacachi and Ecuador at large, if there is a washer at all.  At any rate, when I got here I discovered that the woman upstairs was the owner of the washing machine and had decided she really didn't think she wanted any more tenants using it.  I understood that completely!

Besides, it really was the best "bad news" I'd had in a long time.  There are no laundromats in Cotacachi.  I don't know what it's like in the rest of the country but that's what it is here.  I told Sheila that it was the best bad news I'd ever had.  It meant I now had to have my laundry sent out and done for me (unless I wanted to wash clothes in the kitchen sink and hang them in the bathroom). Here's why I wasn't at all upset. 

Meet Jack, my laundry guy.

It costs me 50 cents per pound to have my laundry picked up, washed, dried, ironed (if needed), folded, and delivered to me--all on the same day.  So, I have my two bags of laundry (stuff that can be dried and stuff that can't) ready to go at 8:00 Wednesday morning and around 5:00 that night Jack delivers it back to me all done.

I generally have about 10 pounds of dirty clothes so my bill is generally right around $5.00.  It's a bit more than I paid in the States but I also don't have to buy soap or other laundry supplies and imagine the luxury of having all your laundry all ready to put away without lifting a finger.  It's pure luxury for very little cost.

Well, yesterday was laundry day.  When Jack came to deliver my fresh, clean clothes he said that my laundry was free this week.  Actually, he said, it would be 30 cents.  He followed that up quickly by saying I had left a $5.00 bill in the pocket of my jeans and that took care of almost the whole bill.  You know what?  Since I hadn't missed the $5.00 before, it really was like getting my laundry done free this week!

I didn't think until I got back inside that I should have gotten a photo of Jack's laundry delivery truck but I'll remember to do that next week--either that or I'll wander by the laundry in the middle of the day when he's not out picking up or making deliveries--and share it with you.