The fluorescent lights of the Best Buy showroom hummed a low, steady drone. Arthur stood in Aisle 4, his eyes locked onto the gleaming white drum of a GE High-Efficiency Top Load washer. It was pristine, silent, and entirely too modern for a man who still used a flip phone.
"A basset hound who thinks mud is a fashion statement," Arthur grunted.
Arthur paused. He had, in fact, forgotten a load of towels just last Tuesday. He looked at the price tag, then back at Toby. "Is it reliable? I don’t want to see you again in two years."
"Alright, Toby," Arthur said, pulling out his credit card. "Let's see if this smart machine can outsmart my dog's mud puddles."
His old washer had died that morning with a dramatic, metal-on-metal shriek that sounded like a plane crash. Now, he was stranded in the digital age of laundry. "Need some help finding the right cycle?" a voice asked.
