I have a lot of time on my hands this week

Today's new experience was using the laundromat around the corner. Our dryer's been broken for a while, so I figured now was a good time to try out a communal dryer, which I hadn't done since my sophomore year of college.

It was a typical laundromat, with people sitting around reading books as their clothes spun, including a little old lady in a housecoat washing several pet leashes. A big fan blew at our seats to balance out the dryer heat. Also featured in this laundromat was a Pacman machine. Interesting. As I sat there reading my book, I wondered if people ever choose to play Pacman while they wait. It reminded me the good old Dobbin Dental Center, with a darkened corner of the room to play video games while you waited.

As I reminisced, a lady in her mid-forties walked in. She did not have any laundry. She did not go to check a machine. She did not purchase detergent. She walked straight to the Pacman machine, quarters in hand, and began a game. She was on a mission.

I imagined this lady as a Pacman addict, keeping a mental map of every Pacman location in the city. She was headed back to work after her lunch break. She stopped at the Bank of America on St. Paul, knowing full well that there was a branch closer to her office. She pushed that thought out of her mind, telling herself that this ATM would have a shorter line. She was just being practical, that's all. No other reason or agenda. As she exited the bank, she turned left even though her car was parked up the street to the right. She was just trying to avoid the homeless man asking people for money. She didn't have time to waste talking to him; she had to get back to work. Now, standing in front of the laundromat, she felt that unavoidable pull. Before she could stop herself, her hand instinctually went into her pocket, fingers feeling for the ridges of a quarter. She had just enough for one game. I mean, what are the chances that she would end up here, with just enough money in her pocket? It's as if the universe were speaking to her. She might be a little late getting back to work, but no one would have to know why. She marched down the steps, past the counter, straight to what had been calling her all along. Before she knew it, the quarters were in the slot and that familiar electronic melody filled the room, drowning out the hum of the dryers and fans.