The People's Democratic Republic of Insomnia

"It's just laser beams and power chords--there's no plot at all."

Monday, January 22, 2018

It's Dangerous to Go Alone

I'm on a business trip, and it's a little over a week long.  On trips of this length I only bring clothes for about half the days I'll be out, and just plan on doing laundry somewhere in the middle of the trip.  Most hotels have a clothes washer and dryer available for guest use, and if not, there are always laundromats.  Some of the longer-stay facilities even provide free laundry facilities.

It's laundry night.  I'm out of clean underwear.  I'm going to do some wash.  I get my clothes together and scout out the laundry facilities.  Close to the room (nice!).  $2.50 to wash/$2.50 to dry (less nice, but OK).  It only takes quarters (hmmm....).  I don't have any quarters (uh oh).  No big deal, right?  Just hit the front desk and trade in a $5 bill!  Nope.  They're out of quarters (THAT's not good).  Ok...problem solving time.  Any other cash registers in the hotel?  In the restaurant, perhaps?  Nope.  How about a nearby convenience store?  Maybe they can break a few bills?  There's one right across the street!  Great!  I jogged over there...They have almost no quarters....but they do let me buy $2 worth.  That's not even enough to do a load of wash, much less dry it (I can probably figure out something for drying if I have to).  Back to the hotel, get the car, drive around looking for another convenience store.  Found a gas station and hit the mother lode!  All the quarters!  Aaaand back to the hotel to do laundry and watch "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

I feel like I just finished a fetch quest in an MMORPG.