Work ethic of a washer man

Sending clothes for laundry on time can be tricky, in fact very tricky. It is one of those chores which never reveal their full potential of damaging impact until the very last moment.

Some of us complain feeling of sudden nightmarish panic, the kind which wakes you up midnight, from worrying that they don’t have any pair of formal clothes to put on for the next day at office. Some have to set constant reminders, on phone and from family members.  Some rely on the regularity of the visiting washer man for collecting the clothes. And some procrastinate this ritual till the last possible moment! – I belong to this elite club of persistent procrastinators!

First lot, those who get nightmares about running out of clean (read wearable) pairs of clothes are the luckiest. They have an inbuilt alarm which rings and helps them avoiding their nightmares turning to reality.

Second lot have to go through painful questioning everyday! “Have you given your clothes for washing?” And frankly, it is irritating. Though, quite effective.

Those who rely on washer-man’s visits are true students of economics. Ceteris paribus, they will sail smooth. J

Procrastinators have no pattern; they usually wait for the last day. They are the ones who want to leave the office urgently abandoning an otherwise important meeting but can’t really say why. Would anyone believe that “I can’t attend this meeting as I need to give my clothes for laundry, and should the laundry shop close, I am afraid but I won’t be able to come to work tomorrow”?

It can be understood that we, the procrastinators, live on the mercy of our washer man. We trust him more than we trust ourselves, for he has to deliver our clothes washed, cleaned and ironed within one day, or else the day after tomorrow, we won’t be able to attend the office, because of our meagre buffer stock of clean clothes.

Recently I changed my city, and hence the washer man was new, driven by habit, I waited till the last moment. When I gave him clothes, I told him – with almost teary eyes- “I only have a couple of pairs left with me, please return my clothes tomorrow evening. Or else I won’t be able to go to work the day after.” I also explained that if not all, he will have to at least give me one pair washed, tomorrow, at any cost.

I was feeling victorious, as I had managed to give my clothes for washing in the morning itself, so he had a good day and a half to return them. I sensed that the possible clothes crunch was avoided, yet again!!

However, next day evening, when I went to take back my clothes, I did not find him. There was no trace of the man. Mixed with anger, frustration, panic and worry, I checked with the security guard immediately. To my surprise he returned my clothes to me and told me that the washer man had to leave for his village early morning and had left the clothes with security guard.

I could understand that he would have worked late night, to finish the job. I don’t know why he would have to leave so urgently, but in my heart I thanked him genuinely and wished for his all-round wellness. He exemplified the work ethic in strange but strong way.