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Towel folder (IP)

Posted by Highhat on November 9, 2010 - 18:12

My name is saucy but I’m not. I am really a very dull girl. My hair is an indefinite mousy colour, I have buck teeth and pimples. I am fat, not obese but my clothes are so boring that I look a sight. I wear flat shoes, am short- my feet are enormous compared to my height and my arms are too short. I wear glasses that are unusually thick, can’t see at all without them- then everything is a haze. I work at the local laundry. I have a very important job sorting towels and folding them carefully and patting them flat so we can wrap them in brown paper and they can be delivered to the customers all nice and clean. I never talk to anybody at work, always sit alone in the canteen with my spaghetti sandwiches, which are very delicious by the way. I’m 29 and live with my Mum who is old and demented and washes my underclothes in bleach so they stink. I have never had a date with the opposite sex (men) but I am not gay. I have never had a girlfriend ; they used to mob me at school saying that I was smelly. I don’t know why because I had a bath once a month and my Mum says that is a luxury as she was a child they only had a bath every six months. I often have colds and my nose drips so I wipe it in my blouse. My Mum washes my blouses in bleach as well. She does a lot of washing and I work at a Laundry so we have a lot to talk about you can imagine. But you see we don’t talk that much. We hardly ever speak to each other actually. My Mum speaks to herself and I can never get a word edged in sideways but if I do it is always about washing and towels. I hardly ever get to operate the linen roller as I usually get the sheets all crumpled and the other workers say I’m hopeless so I just fold towels- which is very rewarding and important to the company. The washing master is very bossy but I don’t mind being told how to do things. How would I ever find out anyway? I always fold the towels very meticulously as I am afraid that they will crease otherwise. I make sure that the flowers are on the right side and the edges are perfectly levelled. It is a job with immense responsibility. I have worked there since I was 15. I didn’t do too well at school but my boss says that I don’t need school knowledge to be a towel folder. I’m sure he is right , it’s just that when I have folded 10 towels I have to keep count of them and how can you do that if you haven’t been to school? I don’t know but I am sure he is right. My boss is very friendly- he always pats me on the behind when he is doing his rounds. Anyway I am not used to using a computer- this is at the local library and the librarian was very kind ; she showed me what to do. I’m not expecting any answers but if I do I will tell you what my name is. I think it is bit much to disclose that already. It can be a surprise, like a jiggling teabag for Christmas!
PS I hope you like folding towels.

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Comments

skinner_jennifer | November 9, 2010 - 18:33

Hi Pia,
I don't know if I was supposed to laugh at this story, but I really did find it very funny, that
lady is a killer. Great one for the IP.

Thanks for a really hilarious read. he, he!

It's good to have you back.

Jenny.

celticman | November 9, 2010 - 19:07

nice effort.

Highhat | November 9, 2010 - 19:11

Thanks Jenny- much appreciate you reading and am glad you got a laugh was sort of the idea. Very good
;)Pia

Highhat | November 9, 2010 - 19:15

Thank you for reading celticman. Much appreciated- also that you left a comment.
;)Pia

shoe | November 10, 2010 - 12:06

I thought it was very sad, This woman, who sounds like a girl, seems to have accepted her lot, being a victim of terrible parenting, let down by her teachers, abused by her boss, shunned by her work mates,
yet I think she is very lonely and her brave use of the internet is a reaching out for...something... a friend perhaps, I think it's an interesting take on the I.P, sorry if it was supposed to be funny,:}

skinner_jennifer | November 10, 2010 - 12:56

Hi shoe,
It's Jenny here, I hope you don't think I am one of
those people who laughs at others that are not so
fortunate. After reading your comment, I felt a bit
bad. I am really sorry if I affended you in some
way, it was not my intention.

If this was based on a real person, then I'm sorry
and I take back all my laughing.

Hope you understand.

Jenny.

shoe | November 10, 2010 - 13:24

Jenny,
please don't apologise, there is no need, I have read enough of your work to know that you are not like that at all, And I agree, there is a funny side,
I just was trying to get behind the story as it were,
It's interesting though how we each read it in a different way,

Funny or sad? maybe both,:}

Shirley.

skinner_jennifer | November 10, 2010 - 13:28

Thanks Shirley,
I was getting a bit worried there,
thanks for coming back.
Jenny.

Highhat | November 11, 2010 - 09:08

Hi Shoe- really it is supposed to be a bit extreme and not sad at all. This girl is unconscious of her situation and just takes things easy. She is not able to think in depth as you and I. So it is supposed to be funny.
Don't feel bad Jenn- not at all- I'm glad you got a laugh- was the idea. It is not realistic at all. I didn't mean to make a mock of anybody. It's just a mix of a lot of different characters and personalities.
;)Pia

Kahdai | November 11, 2010 - 18:54

Am glad shes seems happy anyway just how she is, happily oblivious aaw bless :) You could change 'get a word edged in sideways' to 'get a word in edgeways; i think thats how you say it :) this is the best part to me 'I don’t mind being told how to do things. How would I ever find out anyway? I always fold the towels very meticulously as I am afraid that they will crease otherwise' that made me think good for her how make the most skill out of a simple job doing it so well :) K

Highhat | November 11, 2010 - 20:41

Here's a secret Kahdai- I was once a towel folder myself. It was really very hard work. Thank you for reading and your comment. Exactly she is oblivious and innocent. Thanks for seeing it.
;)Pia

Kahdai | November 11, 2010 - 20:43

Ofcourse its nice to be careful at what you do :) K

Highhat | November 11, 2010 - 20:48

You just get to slap them together once you are used to the folding nothing meticulous about it ;)
Pia ;).

MistakenMagic | November 12, 2010 - 10:41

Very intriguing read, Pia. Some bits did make me smile, but, like Shirley, I really feel for the narrator! Well done :)

Magic xxx

Highhat | November 12, 2010 - 10:52

Thanks Magic but really it was meant to be a bit extreme and not serious at all. Not sad because as Kahdai very well pointed out the "dull" girl is obliviously innocent and not a real person. It wasn't meant to be a mock. Maybe I got too close to the truth? I just don't belive anyone in her situation would describe herself the way I have done??
Thank you for reading and commenting
;)Pia