Laundry (or, I Should Have Known)

Get ready for a funny little story.

After waiting to do laundry for a couple of weeks (we were still scoping out the new building) I have to say that I was ready to kiss the washing machine when we finally went downstairs to load it up. I did notice that there was a duvet in the dryer, but no biggie, we had time. We would have just dumped the clothes right in, but that would imply that there is something easy about this process. Instead, we had to check the rates on this machine, then walk to the main building to transfer our Euros into Deutsche Marks. I'm sure there are washing machines that accept Euros, but that would imply that they were assembled and shipped sometime in the last 20 years. Ours wasn't. One mark costs about .8 Euros, which is about $1.10. In the last building, we needed 6 DM for one load of wash/dry ($6.60).

So, we go to the main building to buy enough marks for one load in the washer and the dryer.
But, oh, wait, they're out of marks. It would be crazy to have enough for both washers and both dryers because it's completely impossible that they would all be used at the same time, right?

So we wait until the next day.

The next day, I return to the main building for the marks. They have them! Except I'm informed that these machines require 8 marks, 4 for washing and 4 for drying. Yikes, that's $9.00. But whatev's, you gotta do laundry, right?

So, I buy the marks for one load in the washer and the dryer and scramble downstairs to make sure the washer is unoccupied (it is) and dump the clothes in. It takes a little while to figure out the German control panel, but I do it. Mission 1: Complete.

I notice that the (fully dry) duvet is still in the dryer, but I figure it will probably be gone when I get back.

A couple hours later, I skip downstairs to move the clothes in to the dryer. The duvet is still there, and now I need the dryer, so I carefully fold it and place it on the ironing board. As I'm doing this, of course, the owner of the duvet arrives downstairs. I tell her I'm sorry I moved the duvet, I hope it isn't a problem, I need the dryer, blah, blah, blah.

It is a problem. On top of that, she's shocked (actually, amazed) that I'm moving the clothes to the dryer right after I washed them.

"No, no, no. You have to wait at least one day. The clothes are too wet now and it will cost you too much money to dry them."

Huh? I have to leave them in the washer, wet, for at least one day?

"Yes, leave them in the washer."

So we wait until the next day (which is fine for someone who has, like, patience).

Late in the evening of Day 3 of Operation Laundry, I move the clothes to the dryer (the f'in duvet is there again, and I move it, AGAIN) and dump in my 4 marks.

On the morning of Day 4, Dave arrives to empty the laundry. Not dry. Not even close.
He goes to the main building to get 5 more marks.
Then he dumps 5 more marks in the machine. Not dry. Not even close.
He goes to the main building to get 5 more marks, again. Then he dumps 5 more marks in the machine, again. Not dry. Not even close.

Then he takes all the clothes out of the dryer and spreads them all over the bathroom to dry.

Now we've spent more than $20.00 and we have a bathroom full of wet clothes AND YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE HOW MY PATIENCE IS TAKING THAT.

On Day 5 of Operation Laundry, I pull a wet shirt out out of the bathroom and stomp down to the main building. I swear, I can literally hear the desk clerks groan when they see me coming.
I explain that there is clearly a problem with the dryer in our building. I explain that the nice lady who lives in the building (and leaves her f'in duvet in the dryer for THREE DAYS) told me that I have to leave the clothes in the washer for a day before I can dry them. Then I explain that we've spent 14 marks over 2 DAYS in the dryer and they're still not dry.
They seem puzzled.
At this point, I pass the wet shirt over the counter to illustrate the nature of the problem.

"Can I just use the dryer in the other building," I say, "it worked fine."
This is a major request. Supervisors must be found and permission must be granted, but I walk out of the lobby with a key to the other building.

And 4 more marks.

Now, we take all of our (wet) clothes, stuff them into a plastic laundry hamper, put them in the back of the car, drive over to the other building, and dump them in the old dryer.

And, behold, after 5 days, 2 hours and $25.00, we have armfuls of nice, dry clothes.

And one missing sock.