Like that delightful family romp, Sliver

This evening, I got the bejaysus scared out of me.

I've used the same Laundr-O-Mat a couple of times. There are no indications of opening hours anywhere. Anyone I ask in there doesn't have a rashers what time it closes at.

Based on places that actually display closing times, I figured ten o'clock was likely one.

Anyway...

21:15ish

I got in later than usual. I figured that I could plead with the guy who would come to close-up to wait until the clothes were dry.

But when I assume things, I make an "ass" out of "u" me and "me".

About 22:05

The clothes were almost dry.

There I was, minding my own business, reading a paper, and some of the lights went out. Not all of them, just a single line. There was no one else there. I dismissed it as a malfunction of some sort, a happenstance.

But, much like the lone white female in a horror film [I'd look great in a teddy, I just know I would], I wasn't 100% sold on it being just a coincidence. I got up and began clearing out my driers. The rest of the lights started going out. I packed a little bit more furiously.

*Click*

The door had closed.

Bugger.

I finished packing my laundry away (Molly pronounces it,"lingerie"). All the time I was wondering how I was going to get out of this one. I had left my phone in the apartment. There was no pay phone there. For that matter there was no number to call.

Having finished packing up, I walked with trepidation¹ to the closed door - silently cursing the progresses of our time exemplified in this... this automated Laundr-O-Mat.²

I reached out to the door. Pulled down the handle.

It opened. I inspected the door. It had a magnetic doorstop, and no handle on the outside.

There it is. The place never really closes. There are just certain periods, when it is empty, that one cannot get in.

I wanted to juxtapose this discovery with Hotel California. But it is late. And having planted the seed of the idea, I can just walk way [figuratively], and let you do my work for me [literally].

***

¹Word of the day win!

²Or maybe it is haunted.

***

[Editorial note: I would have like to find a link to the quote/time that Mr Burns uses the line that I allude to in the blog title. But I lazily went for the next best thing.]