For Story Idea Number Four
Jeff goes to the dry cleaner to pick up his mum’s clothes, upon discovering that his high school crush, Essie, works there. Rejuvenated with the love he once had for her Jeff can’t stop thinking about Essie and knows the only way he can see her without it being totally contrived is at the dry cleaner. He then makes an effort to dirty his clothes in any way possible in order to have an excuse to visit her; that means wiping his food ridden hands on white shirts, being sure to never seek cover in the rain and being a friend to his best mate’s dog. Essie is surprised by how many clothes Jeff has to get cleaned and sometimes asks for an explanation, to which Jeff comes up with a believable response. One day Jeff comes in wearing a dirty jacket and Essie insists on cleaning it on the house due to all his dry cleaning keeping the place in business. Jeff gives her his jacket completely forgetting that he has left his list of ‘Dirty Clothes Excuses’ he has been checking off in his breast pocket. As soon as Jeff leaves Essie cleans his pockets and finds the note to which she laughs and realises he must really like her in order to go to so much trouble to see her. She decides to clean the clothes and take them home, because she’s not going to come into work tomorrow. The next morning Jeff stops by the dry-cleaner and is let down Essie isn’t working; being a little surprised his clothes aren’t ready for collection. He gets home and finds his dry cleaned clothes on his doorstep with a note saying “Do you have an excuse for 6pm? – Essie” and his list attached.