Juxtapositions

Yup, it’s an odd topic.

But here I am with an hour to kill while waiting for my clothes to dry at the laundromat, and there’s really not much to look at except my laptop screen (you do take your laptop to the laundromat, right?) and I’m looking at the small strip wall in which the laundromat is located.

Some things can go just about anywhere, like the donut shop on the end. And the “anchor” is a large Hispanic supermarket (which has some GREAT stuff!). In between, however, are some interesting choices.

First, there’s the laundromat, and immediately next door is a dry cleaners. I’ve been to the dry cleaners. Their prices are why I go to the laundromat. Now maybe they have the same owner, but by the look the folks in the cleaners shoot at the patrons of the laundromat, I don’t think so.

Then there’s the juxtaposition of the shoe repair joint next to the foot reflexology office. Seems like these two might be related. You go and get your shoe fixed because it’s worn out, and you get get your feet worked on, because your shoe was worn out. Not sure if there was planning here, but it does seem to be fortuitous.

On either side of these two businesses are a hair salon and a jewelry joint. Sorta related, I suppose. Both are about decorating the body in some way, adding bling whether it’s hair color or flashy stuff on your wrist.

The one I really couldn’t get was the taqueria (taco joint) and the H. Salt Fish and Chips. At first glance, makes sense, as they are different foods. But the H. Salt joint is always empty. It looks like it’s open, though I’ve never seen anyone in it. So it’s odd that the taqueria has started really pushing fish tacos. I’m thinking that if H. Salt was doing great with fish, they’d be a bit busier. Might be a bit too simplistic, but hey, I’ve got another 30 minutes to kill, an 8-year-old that’s getting bored, and my mind is wandering.

: I don’t speak Donut Shop Drunkese. I am, however, fluent in the Excessive Party and Bar Stool dialects of Drunkese.

Of course, I did get my Donut Shop Serenade. The inebriated guy sitting in front of the local high-carb purveyor, singing an unintelligible ditty to the local meth guy. Hmmm, maybe that’s a little judgmental. Then again, they both left in cars. No, the drunk guy didn’t drive. This isn’t a particularly bad neighborhood, but it has its characters. And I digress…

So, I see these businesses that seem at the same time conflicting and yet complimentary. Seems like life in general. The stuff we want isn’t necessarily the best choice. And the stuff we’d like to avoid is often what’s best for us. Maybe the fish taco sells at the taqueria because the fish and chips joint doesn’t do well. And maybe all those errands you need to run really are the best use of your time, even if it means sitting in front of the laundromat.

But I still don’t know what song the drunk guy was singing that had “motherf***er” in the lyrics seven times…