Expensive Laundry

I think this is just how my life goes.... it's a good thing I'm laughing, rather than being angry.

I share a washing machine and dryer with the neighbors in my complex. It's a free washer and dryer in the common space at the end of the rowhouses. Well, it was free until recently.

About a month ago, the dryer broke. And rather than fixing it or replacing it with another free dryer, it was replaced with a coin-operated dryer. Under typical circumstances, that'd be irritating...but really not that big a deal.

But, I desperately needed to do laundry tonight. And, I forgot to get quarters all day. Forgot until I was about to put my clothes in the washing machine. So, I put the clothes in the machine and then went out to get some quarters so I'd be able to dry said clothes.

Well, first, I go to the ATM machine to get some cash. Get the cash. Then, need to get the quarters. So, I start at a laundromat....surely they have a change machine, right? Nope...apparently, they've changed to some card reader thing. Next stop - the grocery store. I need some milk anyway. But, wouldn't you know it, somehow the cash register only has two quarters....I need at least six. Next stop - 7-11. (Yes, I realize a gas station would have quarters...but that's where I went the last time I needed quarters and there were two creepy guys who tried to talk to me. So, 7-11 it is. Don't want to go near that gas station at night ever again.) And, yes! 7-11 has all the quarters I could ever need. Now, I can go home.

So, I'm chatting away on the phone with my stepmother. I stop at the stoplight and then turn right. And, that's when I see him. The police car hiding. And, as I drive past him, he turns on his car and pulls out behind me. Then, the lights go on. Was I speeding? Nope. What in the world could it be?

Well, apparently, there was a "no turn on red" sign at the intersection that I completely missed because I was just so ready to get home, was chatting on the phone and was completely NOT paying attention to anything. Great.

The police officer was very nice...and actually kept apologizing that he had to give me a ticket. But, he had to. And he did. He knocked some of the points off...and somehow discounted it or something...whatever. The ticket was originally for $100....but, it was knocked down to only $86.

So my laundry tonight cost me $89 (the ticket plus the $3 in quarters that I got). Nice.

Those better be some darn clean clothes.