“In by 8, out by 4,” is the motto of Shep”s Cleaners on Highway 12 in Starkville.
The calling card of any good dry-cleaning business, quick and efficient service remains the focus at Shep”s, even as the summer presses on and ushers in more three-digit temperatures.
Behind the counter, behind the racks upon racks of clothes, is a small army of women who press and starch, who wash and fold, who work daily in a constant haze of steam.
With only a handful of fans throughout the entire operation, the phrase “air conditioning” is as foreign as an Italian road map. This grueling aspect of the job all but deters the dedicated staff. When the workload is extra heavy, they”ll come in as early as 4 a.m. to beat the sweltering heat of the afternoon.
Dean Bell, a two-year employee at Shep”s, beats the heat with a smile.
“You get used to the heat,” Bell said. “After a while, you don”t notice it as much.”
Despite the Saharan climate of the back room, Bell perseveres.
“Some people have to work; some people like to work.”
Bell is cut from the rare cloth of people who are on both ends of that spectrum. One of the many unsung heroes of the workforce, Bell carries out her job with a refreshing sense of professionalism and optimism.
With a distant look, Bell recalls her favorite part about working at Shep”s: “When it rains, it”s heaven.”
Bell and her coworkers usually labor away with the doors ajar. On a rainy day, a veil of cool, refreshing mist brushes the faces of the workers, offering welcome relief to the heat and steam.
After taking a moment to pause and reflect on the days that she loves best, Bell smiles yet again and begins to steam the wrinkles out of a white Oxford shirt.
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