Mr. Elkins Does His Own Laundry

"Mr. Elkins Does His Own Laundry" 1, 2, 3, 4 (Click any to see larger)
January 2, 2010
West Odessa, Texas

I met Mr. Robert Elkins today. I made my acquaintance by simply saying, "Don't see many people hanging up laundry any more." And he agreed. He explained he doesn't like using his electric dryer if he can help it.

Mr. Elkins is a West Odessa resident, here more than 50 years. He worked the oil fields before he retired, worked as a roughneck and then a driller. I asked him who he worked for. He answered, "Everybody." I chuckled. I shared with him that I understood that too well. When I was a young bride, my roughneck (a "chain-thrower") husband had 13 W2s the first year we were married. Mr. Elkins smiled and agreed that's the way it was.

You couldn't give Mr. Elkins a million dollars for any one of his eight dogs, not that he believes in selling or buying dogs. They keep him going, he told me. His favorite is Pepper, the smallest. I asked why and he said because she is always cheerful and had never met a stranger. Right on cue, she rolled on her back for me to pet her little belly. Still, he didn't intend to have quite so many dogs. Take, for example his newest dog, Amber. Amber belonged to a neighbor, but the neighbor was gone for weeks at a time and she was left starving. We both shook our heads at that, two dog-lovers with ten dogs between us.

I made a new acquaintance today. Mr. Elkins does his own laundry, but this afternoon I helped him hang up the sheets.

Like stories about old timers? Me too. Perhaps you'd also enjoy this past post ->

Black and White Or, The Barber Who Doesn't Want to Be Famous