Once I got in the door after standing outside for what seemed like an hour in the frigid air, I joined the huddled, mismatched line, glad to have finally made it in. Some had armloads full of clothes, others were empty-handed with only a receipt. One man carried a pile of hangers to recycle and then went over to get a cup of coffee, which probably held the dregs of hours long gone. A young man in front of me, suspiciously looking like a college freshman home for the holiday break, had a teetering pile of what looked like everything he had worn from the past term.
Ah, but the beat went on to the gush of steam and the tap of feet in sync as we rocked on, waiting in line at the local CD Cleaners this afternoon, each waiting our turn at the counter to deposit or pick up clothes. The beat went on and we rocked to the music of Michael Jackson.
If you have never been to a CD Cleaners, you have missed the working atmosphere that plays out as the huge ironing and steaming machines are pressed into service by employees just behind the counters and in full view. On one side, racks and racks of hanging clothes two tiers high roll past in military drill as employees hunt to match cleaned clothes with tickets. On the other are the presses and for the three minutes or so that I stood there, Michael Jackson rocking away, I watched the workers toil in what seemed to be in perfect time to the rock and roll music playing as they pressed the fronts and backs of men’s shirts, steamed the collars, and puffed the arms that stretched way out that seemed to embrace an imaginary girl to dance the night away with.
I really started to groove when the second verse came in and I smiled, as did the woman behind me, as Michael sang
Out On The Floor
There Ain’t Nobody There But Us
Girl, When You Dance
There’s A Magic That Must Be Love
Just Take It Slow
‘Cause We Got So Far To Go
When You Feel That Heat
And We’re Gonna Ride The Boogie
Share That Beat Of Love
I Wanna Rock With You (All Night)
Dance You Into Day (Sunlight)
I Wanna Rock With You (All Night)
We’re Gonna Rock The Night Away
Do you know many other people who are so easily entertained picking up clothes from the cleaners? I think I’ll go iron a blouse to wear tomorrow.
