September 24th 11:30 a.m. by Littlewing1957
Alma sat by herself at the kitchen table, nursing a lukewarm mug of coffee. She just a moment ago cleared the breakfast dishes, washed them, put them back in the cupboard. The girls were down for a nap, but where was Ennis? Alma didn’t have the energy to go look for him. He was probably downstairs, sitting on a wobbly chair in the Laundromat. Alma noticed her husband sitting downstairs in the Laundromat on several occasions, staring at the dryer and it's revolving motion, watching as it tousled clothes round and round. Alma’s heart sank when she saw her husband sitting there, all alone, invariably holding a cold bottle of beer. If only he could talk to her, tell her all about it.
Ennis sat and watched a dryer turn. He was not alone, but was in the company of a stout, older woman sporting a burgundy beehive, and wearing a green shirtwaist dress. Ennis noticed earlier the woman reduced to washing clothes with face soap. "That poor lady," Ennis thought as he watched the woman break off pieces of Ivory soap and throw them in the washer. “Someone poorer than me!"
Jack should be along at any time! The very thought of seeing Jack again both excited and terrified Ennis. He would go back up to the apartment in a bit, but for the time being, he was content to sit on the white plastic chair in the Laundromat, savor the peace of noisy machinery. When he was ready for another beer, he would return home. He would go home and wait. Wait for Jack Twist.