Highway Robbery!

Do you have any idea how much it costs to have leather drycleaned? I had a nebulous idea of current costs, but recently I had cause to discover exactly how much prices had risen.

Not long ago I wore my caramel coloured leather skirt to a house party, and when I eventually got home, discovered that I must have sat on a potato chip. There was a grease mark the size of a thumbnail right on the tush. There was nothing doing: I had to bite the bullet and have it professionally cleaned, or never wear it again.

I took it – along with sundry other items that needed laundering – to the local drycleaning outfit. I was informed that the skirt must be taken to a specialist leather cleaner; would cost $70 to have cleaned; and could take up to two weeks before it would be ready. Furthermore, I had to sign an indemnity form indicating I would forgive them if the skirt suffered any further damage. THEN in addition I had to give them a $40 deposit!

What kind of racket was this?

I was miffed, but resigned, and forked out the cash (after having to traipse to a nearby convenience store to get some money, as the drycleaners did not have EFT; another count against them). Then, to my consternation, I was told it might be a week before my other items were ready. A week! What kind of racket was this?

It transpired that three weeks passed before I darkened their doors again. Another $64? I shrugged. Certainly. By that time I was utterly indifferent to the dollars fluttering out of my purse and merely wanted to finalise my first and last transaction with this shady operator.  

Thank heavens I can report that the grease mark had been well and truly rubbed out.