The Duchess can't see the irony. Dash of racism!

[Laund-o-rama Mama]

Some BG: There's this regular customer at the laundromat I like to call the Duchess. Because she's been coming here for years, she is very spoiled and has an entitled attitude about the place. She's never been out-and-out sucky, but she likes to gossip about people and tell the other patrons how to do their laundry and also tell us employees how to do our jobs (always disguised as "helpful" advice, natch). When she comes in, she takes up almost ALL our smallest washers on one of our busiest days. (The giants and the small washers are always the most in-demand.) The one good thing about the Duchess is at least she stays on top of her laundry and gets in and gets out quickly. Okay, end BG!

An Indian man and his wife come in with about a dozen comforters. He is very nice, but kind of pushy and clueless about laundry. His wife was just silent and smiling (maybe she didn't speak English). I help him get his stuff in the washers but of course, now all the giant washers and a few medium ones are used up! Oh well, it's first come, first serve. They left to go do something while the washers were going and that's when Duchess came up to me with a disapproving look on her face.

Duchess: I can't believe THOSE PEOPLE are taking up so many washers!

Coming from her!! Oh, Duchy-poo. Also, the way she said "THOSE PEOPLE" made me wonder if she would have said anything had they been a "nice white couple". Ugh.

I said something along the lines of, "Yeah, but when laundry's gotta get done, it's gotta get done, you know?" and walked away to continue working.

[Teskeria]

Would have said "Oh I know, why it's just as bad as someone taking all the small washers when they could use a couple mediums, isn't it' with a really sympathetic tone. Of course she would probably agree without even realizing you were talking about her!

[XCashier]

When she comes in, she takes up almost ALL our smallest washers on one of our busiest days. (The giants and the small washers are always the most in-demand.)

Wouldn't it be cheaper to combine loads and use a couple of medium washers instead? Really, it's not going to destroy your fabrics to wash those blue towels with the blue jeans. Or the navy shirts with the black shirts.

Would have said "Oh I know, why it's just as bad as someone taking all the small washers when they could use a couple mediums, isn't it' with a really sympathetic tone.

Hee hee hee! It'd probably fly over her head at Mach 10, though.

[bainsidhe]

Duchess: I can't believe THOSE PEOPLE are taking up so many washers!

I know, isn't it great! More business for us!

[Kristev]

Dutchesses usually have class. She has nastiness.

[slavetotheman]

Duchess? More like Douchess...

[Laund-o-rama Mama]

Dutchesses usually have class. She has nastiness.

She is a Duchess only in her own mind.

@slavetotheman LOL

[dalesys]

Duchess? More like Douchess...

The Douchess of Prunes.

(F. Zappa)

[blas]

Can I be totally rude and ask if she's that spoiled and well off, why she goes to a laundromat?

[Peppergirl]

My dad owned and operated a laundromat back in the 1980's. I worked in it for years.

To be fair, it used to annoy the shit out of me when any non-regular customer would come in with a shitload of comforters and take up ALL the jumbo washers and thereby block everyone else from using one. I used to wish they'd just be courteous and leave ONE open.

And for some reason, it was ALWAYS on a busy Saturday or Sunday afternoon - always at the height of the highest volume of people in the store.

No excuse for her attitude and not-so-thinly veiled racism about it, though.

And you're right - there's no way to tell people to be courteous and not to use them all at once. It's first-come, first-served. It's nice if people aren't greedy about it, but we all know that's rare.

[Laund-o-rama Mama]

My dad owned and operated a laundromat back in the 1980's. I worked in it for years.

To be fair, it used to annoy the shit out of me when any non-regular customer would come in with a shitload of comforters and take up ALL the jumbo washers and thereby block everyone else from using one. I used to wish they'd just be courteous and leave ONE open.

And for some reason, it was ALWAYS on a busy Saturday or Sunday afternoon - always at the height of the highest volume of people in the store.

No excuse for her attitude and not-so-thinly veiled racism about it, though.

And you're right - there's no way to tell people to be courteous and not to use them all at once. It's first-come, first-served. It's nice if people aren't greedy about it, but we all know that's rare.

Right, exactly. I mean, I do think it is annoying. However, there is no "X # washer per customer limit" rules.* The only thing I can really do it remove stopped washers' clothes into a cart if the cycle ends and someone is waiting for the machine. But until the cycle is done, other customers are SOL!

*I once had a customer (not Duchess) ask if I could "speak" to another customer about hogging washers. Um, no? What will that accomplish? The washers are already started and cannot be stopped mid-cycle. I would just piss the washer-hogger off AND not do anything to help the complaining customer's situation.

[Ironclad Alibi]

My webcomic! Because I should do something with my life besides sorting undies.

That is a great web comic. Of course that means one more I get read. That puts me up to 31.

[Laund-o-rama Mama]

That is a great web comic. Of course that means one more I get read. That puts me up to 31.

Thank you!!
That comic is my baby.