Deep Thoughts from the Camp Alamo Laundry

Continuing the Camp Alamo tour, our next stop is the laundry room. The facilities are actually very nice. Fortunately, everything is free. No coin operated machines.

The detergent is also free, although it is unscented. Generally you've got to use more of it than you normally would to get the best results.

This facility is housed inside a long wooden shed. This is much different than the laundry facilities at Camp Shelby, where I trained for this mission.


I wish that I had taken a picture of Camp Shelby's laundry. Again, it was free, so I can't complain too much. Nevertheless, it was an interesting sight.

The Camp Shelby laundry was housed in the back of two eighteen wheeler semi trailers. You heard me. Trailers. The back end and sides were open, exposing those doing laundry (and the machines) to the elements. Eighteen wheeler laundromats are strange sights to see in the middle of a field in rural Mississippi. Wait, this is Mississipi we're talking about. Maybe it's not so strange.

Back to the Camp Alamo laundry. As you might expect, these machines are in high demand. I am unclear on the unwritten rule about finished laundry. What is expected if you need to do your wash and you come across a washing machine that is full of clothes but has finished its cycle? Do you wait around until the owner removes his clothes? I think we can eliminate that option. That is probably too time consuming and frustrating.

Do you remove the owner's wet clothes and put your clothes in the machine? If so, do you leave his wet clothes on top of the washer so he can claim them? That seems a bit harsh. Do you put his clothes in an empty dryer and start the dryer for him? What if he has delicate items that should not be dried? Do you examine his laundry and sort this issue out?

If you go with the last option, it can get really weird if the owner walks in to find you sorting through his wet clothes. This has happened to me. It's one of those George Costanza moments where you really can't win. Sure, your motives were good, but now it looks like you were curiously examining this guy's undergarments. Not a comfortable situation.

You apologetically mumble that you were only trying to help and skulk quickly away. Unfortunately this is a small post, and you are bound to run into this guy often. Wonder what he thinks of you now?

This is all very perplexing to me.