The crew laundry room. The machines are all touchy and half are completely broken. Luckily a cranky but kind Eastern European guy with a name badge from the ship casino gave me some tips and told me which washers to avoid entirely.

Casino Guy: This is my first contract too. But I’ve been here three months already. So I know the ropes.
Me: How do you like it?
Casino Guy: Mostly I don’t. The work is good. Not hard. Second week on ship, I meet girl, we fall in love. But we work different shifts. She gets off at 6. I start at 8.
Me: So you only get two hours a day?
Casino Guy: Less. And I share a room with four guys. Not good. How many people in your cabin?
Me: Oh, well, I’m here with my wife, so…
Casino Guy: Lucky. [squints at my name tag] How does someone become “Guest Entertainer?”
Me: Well, we do improv, which is… [I trail off, realizing an explanation of improv comedy is not necessary] I took classes for a year or so. Did… gigs… for a while. Auditioned.
Casino Guy: Why are my clothes covered in suds? Great, this machine is broken now too.