Julia wakes up early the next day in anticipation of her interview at the laundry mat. She thinks to herself it would never do to be late.  She shakes her head as it dawns on her she does not recall Willam's aunt's name.  She gets ready, takes Butch out for his walk, then puts him back inside his crate so he will not chew anything while she is out.  

        Then, she leaves the apartment locks the door behind her and drives to the laundry mat. Julia is grateful for the directions that William gave her.  Goodness, she thinks William is a lifesaver.  She arrives on time for the interview with ten minutes to spare.  She parks and goes inside.  She smiles as she approaches the lady at the front counter.

      "Hi, I am here for an interview about the job," Julia says.

       "Ah, yes, you must be Julia,"  The lady replies with a smile.

      "Yes, Miss that is me,"  Julia answers.

       "It is good to see you are prompt as that is good for business,"  William's aunt remarks.

        "Oh, and what are the hours?" Julia asks.

        "The hours are from 9 am-Noon, then from 3 pm to 6 pm, every day except Sunday,"  She answers.

       "Sunday, what is different about it?"  Julia inquires.

        "Sunday is the day were are closed,"  William's aunt says with a laugh.

         "Oh, okay well that works for me,"  Julia says with a smile.

      "Glad we agree on something then, and my name is Susanna, but you can call be Suzzie,"  William's aunt states.

      "Suzzie, where should I start?" Julia asks with a grin.

    "Start, ah yes, you are in charge of making sure the customers do not leave stuff behind,"  Suzzie tells her.

       "Glad to hear it like that sounds easy enough,"  Julia tells her.

     "Easy as it may sound the people who come in here often leave clothes behind in the dryer," Susanna replies.

     "You are kidding, right?"  Julia asks.

      "I am not.  See that pile behind you?"  Susanna says as she points the huge cart full of unclaimed laundry.

      "Yes, what about it?" Julia asks in return.

       "It is the unclaimed laundry pile," Susanna says as she tries hard not to laugh.

     "Whoa, that is a huge pile.  Goodness, what happens when the cart overflows?" Julia asks.

        "I donate it to a local charity after the garments go unclaimed for three weeks, otherwise we would not have a place to put any recent ones people forget," Susanna explains.

        "It seems I have my work cut out for me then, huh?" Julia replies.

        "You do not know the half of it," Susanna says. She goes to check that the machines are still working. She smiles happily to see all the dryers are in working order now. She is also glad the washing machines are working properly.

        Ten minutes later, a man comes inside the laundry mat to do his laundry.  He sees Julia and smiles.  "Hi, there, you must be new,"  The man says.

          "Hey, what did I tell you about not flirting,"  Susanna says.

        "I was not flirting I was talking, there is a difference you know," He retorts.

        "See to it that it stays that way," Susanna remarks. She walks off.

             Julia smiles as the man pours in some detergent into one machine, then adds in some socks, and other things to wash.  She hears him hum a tune as he works. Then, watches as he puts in some detergent, etc. into the one right beside it.

          "Hey, I will back in a few," He says. He walks outside.

             Julia wonders what he meant by the statement and soon finds out that he is smoking a cigarette.  She rolls her eyes in dismay glad he had the decency to do it outside.   At least this way she will not have to smell the scent of laundry and smoke while he is busy.

         He finishes a few minutes later and re-enters the place.  He smirks at Julia when he sees her.  "Hi, I am Pete," He says.

       "Julia and I happen to work here," She says.

       "Wow, so Susanna here managed to find herself some help well then, good for her,"  Pete remarks.

      Pete reads as he waits for the clothes to finish, then sets the book down, to remove one load to a dryer, then the next to the one beside it.  He places the quarters in the machines and hums again.  He gets back to his reading while his clothes dry.

    The next customer walks in and frowns.  She does not seem too happy to see Pete.  She turns around and says, "I will be later when he is gone."  She walks away in a huff.

     Julia wonders what that was all about anyway. She does not have to wait for long to find out.

      "She is my ex," Pete explains.

          Julia pays no attention as he rambles on about his broken love life. She just grins as she tries not to laugh about the look that the woman gave Pete.  She thinks man was she ever mad.

         The third customer walks in and rolls her eyes. She does not care for Pete either.  She still washes her clothes though in spite of it. She waits until he leaves to speak up.

       "Hey, did my sister come in here yet?" She asks.

        "I am new here, and no," Julia says.

          "Oh, you must be the girl Susanna just hired,"  She states matter of factly.

      "Yes, that would be me," Julia states.

         The woman smiles big, then gets back to her stuff. She waits while she chews gum.

             "Sorry, but no gum allowed in here,"  Julia tells her.

        "Ah, yes that is right, so sorry," She says. She places the gum in a wrapper and throws it in the trash can.

          The lady that came in earlier comes back a few minutes later and smiles when she sees Peter left.  She laughs when she sees what he left though.

         "Wow, can you believe it?"  She asks.

         "No, what sis?"  The other woman asks.

       "Pete left his handkerchief, and a pair of socks behind,"  She scoffs.

        "Well, that is so like him to be so careless," Her sister agrees.

             Julia adds the handkerchief and discarded socks to the cart. She thinks a great first day on the job and already someone left stuff here.  She sure hopes it does not come out of her paycheck. She could use the money as Butch is low on food and treats, and she could use some milk and other groceries.

         Find out more in Chapter  3

    -Summer out!