Useless.

Yesterday I threw in a load of dark clothes including our futon cover (okay, so it's a black fitted sheet) in the washing machine at around 3:30.  I turned it on and went about my business.  A little while later, I realized that I hadn't heard the washer and went to check on it.  The whole thing was full of water, but was not doing anything.  I tried turning the knob thing and pushing it in and pulling it out...nothing.  Then, because I'm smart, I went and switched the breaker off and back on, but this did nothing.  I even reached down and unplugged the machine and plugged it back in, but still no wish-washing.  What the heck?!  This wouldn't be such a huge problem, but we had people coming over at 7:30 and I was leaving at 5:30 and wouldn't be back until about 7:25.  The biggest problem is that our futon is Ugly (capitalized on purpose) without a cover.  Besides, I really didn't want a bunch of clothes stewing in their own watery filth. 

So, I called maintenance at about 4: 30 (the front office closes at 5) and they said they'd see if they could send someone over to look at it.  A little while later 2 guys show up and go to the laundry room/closet.  Maintenance man #1 turns on the light, opens the lid, closes it, and pushes in the knob and the washing machine starts.  Seriously?!  I told him it really wasn't working earlier and I had tried the knob among a bunch of other things.  He looked at me like, "Whatever, woman."  I felt so purposeless.  What's a woman who can't even work a washing machine?!  Useless.