Fifty Hertz Drum

The low mechanical hum from the front-loading dryers vibrated straight through the tiled floor. I stepped inside the laundromat to escape the chill off the avenue. Beside the second row, a heavy industrial dryer was spinning at full speed. Inside, a pair of canvas sneakers tumbled, striking the drum with a measured, heavy thud every couple of seconds. I crouched and placed my palm against the lower access panel. The warm sheet metal buzzed against my skin, humming at a steady frequency that felt like an unpolished bass loop. I stayed low, keeping time with the rotation.