I made my way through the clearing. From the old railroad track now called the 'bike path’. I raised my head to behold my new gig at the maple avenue carwash.
I had some fond memories of the place as a kid. Like going through the automatic carwash imagining it was space travel. Back then the jets of soapy water were laser beams and the spinning brushes planets unto themselves. The automatic dryer, (which actually worked back then) being the grand finale.
As fun as it was, I distinctly remember not trusting the attendants. They always seemed a bit sketchy. Like character templates used for minions and goons in 80's Hollywood movies. Mullets, Marlborough’s, and hair metal. Didn't trust em a bit. Now as I joined their ranks I would find there was substance to my suspicion. The goons of the 80's differed in language and costume only from the goons of the 90's.
Barry Graz was working today. He looked like a rat boy. His eyes were tiny. His thinning black hair gelled up, pants half down. He was a 25 year old with a 12 year old mustache. He was my trainer.
"Hey I’m Jack Kerry, I’m starting today" I spoke eagerly.
"I'm Barry Graziano, but they call me Barry Graz, you ready jack?"
"Yes Sir"
"Step into my office"
His 'office' was one of the unused self-service car wash bays. There were two broken washing machines, a bucket, a roof, and two concrete walls. Barry sat up on one of the washing machines and leaned back.
"Pull up a bucket"
I flipped over the white bucket and sat down.
"Okay Jack. I'm gonna make this real simple for you so pay attention"
"I’m all ears"
"What’s the opposite of dirty?"
"Clean"
His eyes lit up with excitement and as he slid off the washing machine to the ground. He began pacing back and forth. I wasn't sure if he was serious. He was.
"Exactly Jack. Exactly. That is your whole mission here, if it's dirty, MAKE IT CLEAN! If it's WET, then DRY it!"
It was all making sense.
“today you are gonna be on towels, when the wet car comes out, it parks by you, then you dry it, with DRY towels, NOT wet ones"
"Absolutely"
I posted this memory of a dream I had in 2012 this past Friday afternoon right before the recent events that took place in the skies.
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