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| The Mural at Chow's Laundrette is a mystery. To me. Because Mr. Chow, who bought the Laudrette not so long ago, doesn't speak much English and doesn't know anything about the mural. That doesn't mean he doesn't love it. The thing Mr. Chow and I have in common is that when it comes to anthropomorphism, we both put Washing-Machine-Surfer-Dudes at the top of our lists. I also like the Washer-Surfer's tasteful bathing suit. It's not one of those gross super-long ones that became the rage in America like a million years ago already. |
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| Wide on Chow's. |
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| Washing your clothes at Chow's is like going on vacation. |
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| Bubble-Breath. |
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| Sexy legs. |
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| Hello. |
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| Purple Mountain Majesty. This mural does remind me of the comic book illustrator Bob Burden, who created Flaming Carrot. |
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| Chow had to build a shelf over the ski scene to accomodate the bags for his drop-off business. |
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| When business is bad, you can still see the other side of the model. She's pitching. Her wind-up is so extreme, she's losing her hat. |
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| Over in the back, by the detergents, this scrappy little washer is batting. |
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| He's almost got on Nikes. Almost. Plus, he skinned his knee back before this mural was painted, and has this little band-aid on in perpetuity. |
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| Me and Mr. Chow. |
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| Buddhist Shrine in the back. |
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| They always keep oranges and incense on these shrines as offerings to the gods, but -- an open pack of Marlboros? I guess if you're a smoker, this is way more meaningful than a dumb orange. |
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| This Guy seems to like it. I'm not sure if he's a Buddhist God or some sort of middle man. When I asked Mr. Chow, he shrugged. |
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| Chow's off Google Maps. Chow's is located on Broadway and 34th Street in Astoria, Queens., but the back door leads to bathroom in the back of an Indian Restaurant in the 6th Borough. |
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| Good-bye for now! |
