The Launderette

We used to have a very good launderette in Hay. The lady who ran it kept it spotless, and when machines broke down, they were promptly repaired. Sadly, she died last year and her son, who took over the business, seems to take no interest in it. The floor is dirty, the bin fills to overflowing before it's emptied, and 'Out of Order' signs take longer to disappear.
I saw the lady from the British Legion in there this morning. "I've been up here," she said, "with a mop and bucket, cleaning the floor. I even bought one of those wire scrubbers to clean the mess off the machines."
When I came back from walking the dogs to take the washing out of the machine and put it in the drier, I found that they hadn't actually been washed at all. All they'd had was a cold rinse and the powder was still sticking to my sheets in patches. I had to wring them out before I put them into the drier, and most of them will have to be washed again.
What really annoys me is that there's no alternative. I can't afford to buy my own washing machine (I don't actually want one), and the nearest alternative launderette is a bus ride away, at Bronllys. The owner has a captive audience, and it gets very busy with visitors in the summer.
While I was sitting there fuming, someone I know came in to tell me that he's leaving Hay forever. His girlfriend threw him out last week - and next week he's leaving everything behind him and moving to Illinois. It was a bit of a shock - they've been around Hay for years and always seemed happy together.