Dry Cleaner Debacle, 2018

In an unexpected turn, I don’t have a Rice History Corner post tonight. My dry cleaner got busted for tax evasion the other day, which you might think has nothing to do with this blog. But it means that the state came into possession of all my cleaning, which I had to go ransom this afternoon and into the evening. I could go into elaborate detail about this mess but what it all boils down to is that, shockingly, the state is no good at running a dry cleaning business and I’m exhausted and sweaty because of course they weren’t running the air conditioner.

On the positive side, in classic Houston fashion the assembled multitudes organized themselves, helped each other out (exact change was required to get your clothes out of tax jail!), and generally did what they could to make things better. It was an unusual mixture of perspiration, resignation, and a pretty good party.

We’ll try again tomorrow.

Bonus: Hi, y’all!

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9 Responses to Dry Cleaner Debacle, 2018

  1. Hannes Hofer says:

    Thanks for posting this. Couldn’t get through the day without reading your blog – doesn’t matter what it is about.

  2. Jack Pendergrast says:

    Love your smile.

  3. Buddy Chuoke '75 says:

    Too bizarre (and too funny) a story to be made up. Clothes in tax jail…Ha!

  4. Barney L. McCoy, Hanszen 67 says:

    In the 1970’s, I had 5 suits, 3 sport coats, 6 custom-made-in-Hong Kong shirts and several pairs of slacks stolen from my cleaners. I was not the only one. After dragging my claim out for several months, the cleaners filed for bankruptcy, extinguishing my claim because they did not have insurance.40 years later I just realized that I don’t know if my current cleaners is insured.

  5. marmer01 says:

    Melissa is just the best. That is all.

  6. Barney L. McCoy, Hanszen 67 says:

    By the way, this being Texas, did someone bring an ice chest of Shiner Bock?

  7. Francis Eugene "Gene" Pratt, Rice Institute 1956 says:

    Melissa, please give us a follow-up on this story: I wish to know whether the federal case was justified.
    Secondly, Shiner Bock was/is? kind of phony; artificial coloring was previously added for that dark look.

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