From Denial to Delight

As many of you know by now, I am a criminal in the eyes of Arizona State. My life is an open book, which means everyone knows that as a result of protecting my children from their abusive father, I have two counts of felony custodial interference on my permanent record. Now, this has not been an easy thing for me to overcome. I've turned down on some very nice paying jobs, I cannot get a job working as a teacher (regardless to my extended teaching experience), and I've been denied nice housing because I am labeled as an felon. But it doesn't end there. Then, I have to deal with the attitudes of some of the people who discover my past too. One day they are talking to me; the next day they will not even make eye contact.

Well, let's put it this way, it's not been an easy uphill climb since my return to America. And for this reason I've really become sympathetic to others that are trying to get their lives back on track, only to face persecution and phobias from the non-felons of the population. Now don't take me wrong; I don't want a rapist living next door either, but not everyone is as bad as what is written on some paper. (I think another book may be brewing inside about it actually....but we'll save that for another day.)

Now moving on with today's topic. Some may remember a little over a year ago I took a job working in one of the Amazon warehouses here in Phoenix. I needed to lose some weight, so instead of going to the gym and paying them money to work out, I went to work for Amazon during Christmas season and let them pay me instead. (One of my favorite stories from that period is my Droopy Spandex story. Hilarious day that was!! You can see that post here: https://memarshamarie.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-droopy-spandex_10.html.)

Well the time has come again to drop some extra pounds, so this time I wanted to try a profession I had always wondered about. I joined a dry cleaners here, in a secret, Arizona location. Yep, a dry cleaners! I am now a part-time, tagger and bagger (which basically sorts the clothes for washing, and bags up the clean clothes for customer pickup). I just started last Monday and have already racked up 28 hours. Now keep in mind, I am still working my 40-hour-day-job too; and boy am I feeling it today. My whole body has woken up from its sleeping state . No need for a gym, cause at the cleaners, there is lifting, squatting, bending, walking, pushing, folding, sorting, stapling, hanging, loading.....omg the list goes on. .......and the heat? DAMMMMMMMN! Literally it is a sauna in there. The first day alone, I drank 4 huge tumblers of water and never had to go to the bathroom once. I sweat it out as fast as I can drink it. Its like sitting in a steam bath for four hours a night. Um yea, and loving it by the way!!!!!

Inside of the cleaners reminds you of something you would see in a China-town scene of a movie. Laundry hanging everywhere, loud machine noises, grease, dirt, steam shooting out of different corners around the room. And to top it all off, the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Noo, are from a country near Thailand, and have been running the business in the same spot for 20 years. They are so nice, and their accent is just fucking adorable.

Mr. and Mrs Noo are totally hands-on. It is astonishing how hard this couple works; from what I have seen, they work harder than anyone else in there. They've come to America and worked hard to raise their family and run this business. (I know for sure, that Mr. Noo didn't speak any English before coming to America, but his English right now is amazing. Good on him!) Mrs. Noo knows no stranger. With a heart of a teacher, she has a passionate smile and a delightful sense of humor for every customer that comes in. I feel honored to have met them.

When I am there, I honestly feel like I'm standing in a scene of some novel. The smells and sounds are so damn authentic. My head just spins with story ideas!!!!!  And to top it off, I've already lost 5 pounds---in only one week alone. Amazing!!!! .......I mentioned to Mrs. Noo that I had taken the job to loose weight, and she wittingly smiled and said, " I should charge you $50 for each pound you lose." hahahahahahahahahah

Now besides the physical workout, and the authenticity of being in an old-fashioned family-run laundry shop, the most delightful thing to me, was that when I went into the shop to ask about the position, Mr. Noo never asked me about my past. When I expressed my interest in working for them, he said, "When can you start training?"

Really? Without a background check? I thought for a second, and then answered, "Today."

Without any prejudice, judgement or hesitation, they took me in and treated me with respect, and I have given a hundred percent of my efforts. Mrs. Noo was so happy with my work, that on the fourth day she came over to me, hugged me, and said, "You do so good work. Please do not leave me."

(Don't worry Mrs. Noo. Not until I reach 160 pounds anyway; which may take me six months or so.)

Honestly, I love working there. I feel happy and relaxed. No pretentious, or outward front that I have to portray. It reminds me of living in the village of Pakistan---no a/c, everything was done with good old fashion labor, and a foreign language is all around me. Awwww good memories! 

I feel so lucky to have found my happy little laundry shop. Be sure, there will be more writings in the near future.