If laundry is the task most mundane, then the laundromat is the temple of tedium. That’s if you’re waiting on your wash, though, not necessarily when you’re just passing through. It was late October and there was a subdued chill in the air. In the midst of my wanderings the need for rest (oh, my aching bones) and a powerful thirst converged in a serendipitous spot. So I took a seat (third from the left) in front of True Clean and all was right. Yes, there in the bodega-laundromat corridor of Fourth Avenue my immediate needs were sated easily. Moreover, the view, or I should say the whole environment, had an extremely calming effect on me. Really, I could have sat there for hours. It was dense with traffic, but the hurly-burly was more than offset by the view across the street, dominated by the scrappy charm of the church/used appliance store on one corner and the stately Catholic school/church on the other corner. And all was complemented by the human element—lots of people walking by, mostly normal types coming home from work or school. To this day, whenever I’m in the area I grab a drink and make a beeline for my spot at True Clean. So, one “temple of tedium” has become for me another outlet of repose, a place to enjoy some refreshment and gaze upon one of Brooklyn’s unwittingly perfect landscapes.
Come back to that spot on November 4, things will change!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to find a good spot to sit down around here and rest one's weary soul. I am happy for you that you found one.
ReplyDeleteThis is where I do my laundry, and I agree that the ambiance is pleasantly sedating. That is, until you reach the Ms. Pac Man machine inside the laundromat. A word for the casual visitor: check out the $5 plates of Latin American cuisine inside the bodega across the street.
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