The worst type of kindness: when someone does your laundry for you

[jackspade]

Last week I put a basket of clothes in the washing machine and turned it on. I planned to come back, take it out, and hang it up to dry on my balcony as usual. I don't use dryers as they shrink my clothes too short to fit me.

 

I returned to the laundry area to find that all of my clothes had been washed, and dried (with fabric softener), and were now sitting fresh and clean in my basket. Not only that, but a pair of female (I hope there is no male version) Hello Kitty pajamas which I'd never seen before had been added to the mix.

I had no idea what to make of this. I couldn't tell whether I was more infuriated or confused. If this had happened in my home country it would generally be seen as a case of idiocy/assholery/psychosis. But here in Thailand perhaps things are different and the person was merely being kind. I don't want to assume the worst. When my girlfriend came over the next day, I immediately asked her if she'd kindly write a note saying "Thank you for your kindness but please do not dry my clothes because it shrinks them". I plan on laminating and setting that card on the washer every time I go do a load of laundry now.

 

What are your thoughts, TV? Was this mysterious Laundry Person merely performing an act of misguided kindness? And has this happened to you before in LOS?

Edited September 12, 2018 by jackspade

[Airalee]

Sounds like quite a generous “act of kindness” as I have never seen free dryers here in Thailand.  Did they leave a note asking for reimbursement?  The best way to solve this problem is to set a timer so that you can get to the washer and remove your clothes when they are finished.

 

For an example of the opposite, my gf put her laundry in the dryer at our condo (฿60 for 60 minutes as it was jeans and towels) only to return after 55 minutes to find a guy removing his now dry clothes from the dryer with her laundry stuck up on the shelf sopping wet.  She immediately called me down so that I could witness her going off on him.  I have never seen so many wais nor heard so many “khor thoats” in my life. ?

[richard_smith237]

Who ever did this clearly has the best of intentions at heard - What a lovely person. 

 

On the other hand op, you have handled it well given that you have somehow managed to squeeze a negative out of what I could only ever see as great act of kindness. 

 

But, you don't want someone else to do your drying because of the risk of shrinkage or damage. Fair enough.

 

If you don't wish for this to happen again, always be there, on time for when your washing is complete for nothing more than the courtesy of ensuring the machine is free for others to use without having to remove your washing out of a communal machine. 

 

 

You could ask around, find out who put them in the drier and be extremely thankful. You have just discovered a wonderful neighbor. 

 

 

One comment about the note: Where would you put it? in an empty basket (your clothes would be in the washer) - the note could work, but it would have to be worded with great care.

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2018 by richard_smith237

[jackspade]

Well, thanks for putting me in my place, fellas. It would indeed seem that I should have seen it as being a genuine act of kindness. I hereby let go my previous frustration and soften my hard heart.

 

I'll return to my washing machine promptly in the future so as to avoid such situations.

Edited September 12, 2018 by jackspade

[CharlieH]

"would generally be seen as a case of idiocy/<deleted>ry/psychosis"

 

I get this everyday !! ?

[luk AJ]

The “hello Kitty pajamas” is clearly a message in a “basket”!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[jackspade]

3 hours ago, luk AJ said:

The “hello Kitty pajamas” is clearly a message in a “basket”!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

I hung them over the nearest washing machine when I left. I've been keeping an eye out for them, though.

Edited September 12, 2018 by jackspade

[impulse]

12 minutes ago, jackspade said:

3 hours ago, luk AJ said:

The “hello Kitty pajamas” is clearly a message in a “basket”!
 

I hung them over the nearest washing machine when I left. I've been keeping an eye out for them, though.

 

Silly you.  Have you never seen Cinderella?  They fit someone...

 

[Esso49]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Silly you.  Have you never seen Cinderella?  They fit someone...

 

"Hello Kitty" ? could be some pussy admirer of you

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, Esso49 said:

"Hello Kitty" ? could be some pussy admirer of you

 

It would be fun to go around and see who they fit...  Unless, of course, they were XXXXL.  (Which is a medium in EU and US sizes, BTW)

 

 

[naboo]

When something makes no sense, it's usually because someone is hiding something. My guess is,

 

The OP's wife was away for the night. He's managed to hook up with some chick nearby (who has Hello Kitty jym jams) who's stayed the night. Morning comes and OP cleverly figures he needs to wash the bed covers - these women can smell another woman from the next town, and let's not mention the stains. So he quickly bundles his laundry and bedding up, rushes downstairs to put it in the laundry and remembers how important it is that his wife comes home to a clean place, so pops out to get some cleaning stuff.

 

Wife comes home early, spots the laundry, goes to grab it and sees the Hello Kitty jym jams. She sends him a photo. Now he posts this odd story on Thai Visa to show his wife how utterly confused he is about the whole situation. 

 

Good luck!

[jackspade]

3 minutes ago, naboo said:

When something makes no sense, it's usually because someone is hiding something. My guess is,

 

The OP's wife was away for the night. He's managed to hook up with some chick nearby (who has Hello Kitty jym jams) who's stayed the night. Morning comes and OP cleverly figures he needs to wash the bed covers - these women can smell another woman from the next town, and let's not mention the stains. So he quickly bundles his laundry and bedding up, rushes downstairs to put it in the laundry and remembers how important it is that his wife comes home to a clean place, so pops out to get some cleaning stuff.

 

Wife comes home early, spots the laundry, goes to grab it and sees the Hello Kitty jym jams. She sends him a photo. Now he posts this odd story on Thai Visa to show his wife how utterly confused he is about the whole situation. 

 

Good luck!

 

Very creative, I give you full marks for that.

[fullcave]

My advise would be to use a timer and don't be a rude jackass who leaves your clothes in the machine all day. You're obviously not the only one using the machine. 

[jackspade]

 

 

28 minutes ago, fullcave said:

My advise would be to use a timer and don't be a rude jackass who leaves your clothes in the machine all day. You're obviously not the only one using the machine. 

 

We have 5 machines and 3 dryers. Plenty of space to go around.

 

My advice to you would be to try to get out of the other side of the bed tomorrow.

[colinneil]

?Well Jackspade, female hello kitty ?jim jams in your basket, lucky you, could very well be an invite by the owner, if i was you i would check it out, maybe you could strike lucky.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

You're lucky the pyjamas were of the "Hello Kitty" variety; if they had been "My Little Pony" ones, it would have been certain that a local ladyboy was sending you a message.... 

Edited September 13, 2018 by PerkinsCuthbert

[The Theory]

Ladyboys wear “Hello Kitty” as well.  ???

You were late at least as long as a dryer time !!!  Next time be on time for your laundry if you don’t like kitties to say “Hello”. ?

Edited September 13, 2018 by The Theory

[Ctkong]

22 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Ladyboys wear “Hello Kitty” as well.  ???

You were late at least as long as a dryer time !!!  Next time be on time for your laundry if you don’t like kitties to say “Hello”. ?

Maybe the hello kitty pajamas belonged to somebody who dries their clothes together with the op’s and miss the pajamas..... ?

[champers]

30 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Ladyboys wear “Hello Kitty” as well.  ???

 

If you say so, The Theory, If you say so.

[Lokie]

Dryers don't shrink clothes higher temp washes do so no need to worry on that score.

 

Really was good of someone to do this (prob who ever owns the machines) as your washing after it had finished its cycle was now sitting in a machine not earning money and stopping others from using it. No harm done, no need for a card unless it just says Thanks!

 

[jackspade]

48 minutes ago, Lokie said:

Dryers don't shrink clothes higher temp washes do so no need to worry on that score.

 

Really was good of someone to do this (prob who ever owns the machines) as your washing after it had finished its cycle was now sitting in a machine not earning money and stopping others from using it. No harm done, no need for a card unless it just says Thanks!

 

You're wrong—dryers do shrink clothes, unless I've been hallucinating my entire existence since I was a young boy and put in my first load.

Edited September 13, 2018 by jackspade

[Lokie]

Friend it is the wash temperature that shrinks clothes if washed on too high a setting for that particular garment. As for dryers certain things are not suitable for drying and a decent dryer normally has two heat settings (low setting for delicate garments)

 

I speak from experience as working as a dry cleaning operative as a young man for several years (different to this yes but we also used normal washers and dryers)

 

Most washes only need a 30oC wash and will not shrink garments, a lot of 'Fixed washers in LOS are either set to this or 40oC above this and shrinkage can start to occur (all new garments will shrink slightly thats normal) but after that check wash instructions. 

 

Anything can be hand washed, yes air drying on a line is the best but using a dryer at correct setting for most garments will NOT cause any shrinkage and helps to remove creasing...

[The Theory]

High washing temp is one factor and dryer is another. Both could do shrink Cotten clothes, but in Thailand there is no hot washer unless you have a fancy one ? Only dryer will cause shrinking. 

[jackspade]

28 minutes ago, Lokie said:

Friend it is the wash temperature that shrinks clothes if washed on too high a setting for that particular garment. As for dryers certain things are not suitable for drying and a decent dryer normally has two heat settings (low setting for delicate garments) ... Most washes only need a 30oC wash and will not shrink garments, a lot of 'Fixed washers in LOS are either set to this or 40oC above this and shrinkage can start to occur (all new garments will shrink slightly thats normal) but after that check wash instructions.

 

I believe you, but this information, although it would come in handy hanging on the wall at a dry cleaning shop, has zero bearing on my situation.

The dryers and washers here aren't exactly state-of-the-art programmable laundering robots. En contraire, these giant rattling tins have one setting each, that is on and off. I hang dry all my clothes here because if I use the dryer after a cool wash, they come out smaller than they were when I put them in the dryer. That's all I know. I don't care how it happens. There might be little shrinking elves in there who magically shrink my clothes. I don't know. But it does happen.

I've had to throw away numerous t-shirts because when I took them out of the dryer after a cold wash, the magical shrinking elves had done their dirty work. Which is why I don't use dryers.

 

But this is nothing more than a tangent... let's get back to the main point here: the Hello Kitty pajamas.

Edited September 13, 2018 by jackspade

[NCC1701A]

23 hours ago, naboo said:

these women can smell another woman from the next town,

            

 

I make my maid use Dettol to clean the house.  Maid says to me "You bad again?" Makes the house smell like a hospital.

Edited September 13, 2018 by NCC1701A

[marko kok prong]

I have a lady who collects my laundry,once it came back with a lace bodysuit,luckily it fitted.

[mauGR1]

So, who the "hello kitty" pyjama belonged to ? Any updates ?

[GOLDBUGGY]

Sounds like the Lady wanted to use the Washing Machine but couldn't as all your clothes were still in them, and she was forced to wait, and wait, and wait. 

 

You talk about things that Bug You here, but perhaps you should look at yourself and try and figure out what Bugs other people. 

 

What used to Bug Me to no end was people putting clothes in the Washing Machine and then walking away for the rest of the day, making these machines unable to use. Sort of like my clothes are in this machine, so this machine belongs to me now for as long as I want it.

 

With Limited Washing Machines, and time for people to wash clothes, this is very selfish thinking and also wrong. As you do not own that machine anymore than the next person. You are just granted some time to do your clothes, and not to go shopping then and having a few beers with pals at the local pub.

 

Your lucky it was not me who found your clothes long washed in the Washing Machine. and you were not there to colect them after some time. I would have just pulled them all out and threw them in a bundle in some corner.

 

If you want people to do your clothes for you here, and like back home, you have to pay them. If you don't have time to do your washing and can't be there to collect your clothes later, then take them to to the local laundry to do them for you. That cost is cheap. Just don't tie up all the Washing Machines in your building for the whole day, while you venture out to do something elae some place else. 

[faraday]

On 9/13/2018 at 4:20 PM, jackspade said:

You're wrong—dryers do shrink clothes, unless I've been hallucinating my entire existence since I was a young boy and put in my first load.

In a washing machine?

 

Wow!

 

[GOLDBUGGY]

On 9/13/2018 at 8:16 AM, jackspade said:

 

 

 

We have 5 machines and 3 dryers. Plenty of space to go around.

 

My advice to you would be to try to get out of the other side of the bed tomorrow.

So since you have 5 Washing Machines and 3 Dryers, this means to you that you can tie up one or two Washing Machines for the whole day while you go drining, because there are others? 

 

To have so many Washing Machines to be used, means a lot of people live there and need to use them. They don't buy 5 Washing Machines for 5 people to use. So how do you know these other Washing Machines were free to use after you left? I mean since you obviously weren't there to see that? There may be rush hours for people to do there clothes just like there are rush hours for traffic.