I needed to get two pairs of jeans altered and went to a laundrette where I've had stuff altered before. I suspected the guy had overcharged me before but it's in a convenient location in the high street and not knowing any other laundrette in town I chose to take the jeans there again.
At first he said that his seamstress was a bit unrealiable at the moment and he wasn't taking any more items needing alterations for a while. When I asked if he could suggest anywhere else, he said v in a very snobbish way "I can't recommend anyone in THIS town." So I asked if he could recommend anywhere in the nearby towns, to which he replied "why don't you wait until the new year and come back?" (haha...he's having a laugh) I can tell he's pretty desperate for customers as the place is always empty and it's pretty shitty really. I should have gone elsewhere a long time ago, but I felt pity for him. He's probably in his late 40's/early 50's, he's always wearing the same clothes every time I see him, his hair is slightly too long for his age and all curly and greasy. He's a bit camp and he strikes me as the sort of man still living with his mum and maybe a few cats.
I'm always nice to him and even pay upfront as the first time I brought some clothes in he demanded a deposit. "After what just happened yesterday, I'm taking deposits from now on" he said. Alarm bells rang in my head but I still gave him my clothes and my money.
So far the service has been ok. The clothes have come back all ok and it wasn't too much effort to smile and be polite to him so I went in there today with my jeans.
After refusing to suggest anywhere I could go for the alterations, he decided to "do me a favour" and call another seamstress. She said she could do my jeans. While he was on the phone with him, I mouthed "can you ask her how much please?" He didn't ask, but when he hung up he said "she'll do it and it'll be £15 the pair". I said "£15 the pair? that's not bad". Thinking he meant both jeans but he meant the pair of jeans, which meant £30 for both. Now, I just needed the hem to come up on both jeans. That's all! For £30 I can buy another pair of jeans.
I had laid out my jeans and £20 note on the counter and I slowly removed my note and put my jeans back on the bag. I politely said that I would have to ask around for prices as I thought it was too much to pay. He proceeded to lecture me about going out of his way to help me and that if I came back he would not be calling the lady again to ask her if she could do them. I said "I understand. I'm sorry I thought you meant £15 for both jeans not the PAIR. My mistake." And I ran out of the shop.
I was fuming. I was going to bring him my duvets and blankets to do before Christmas. And I was going to continue to use him for my alterations. He's lost my custom completely and I will be telling all my friends about his shitty laundrette and he's terrible service.
Maybe I'm overly sensitive, but I'm nice to people and I expect to be treated the same way. I hate it when people are rude to me. I'm just not used to it and I don't think there's any call for it.
Earlier in the day, I was in Woolies when I saw a mum shout at her son who must have been around 3 or 4 years old. She shouted at him many times and so loudly. The poor kid looked so down. She looked like she was on something or maybe had a hangover. She was so rude to him and made people's head turn more than once. I passed the kid on one of the aisles as he walked away from her while she chatted to her "mate". And I said, "are you alright darling?" When he looked at me, I had this sinking feeling that no one had ever called him "darling" before. He just kept looking at me. I wanted to take him home 
And then I was behind this older man in a long queue for the Post Office. We had to wait until the Office opened an hour later than usual as there is some contruction work going on inside the shop where the Post Office is located. The young builder who was in charge of helping the queue form and opening the door at 10 o'clock had a drink can and he set it down on the floor next to the door to let us in. As the old man walked past he kicked the can. No one noticed except for me. I almost said aloud "well, that's very passive aggressive of you sir!". But I didn't. I just thanked my lucky stars he wasn't behind me as I had quite a few cards to post abroad and I didn't want him to be tutting and huffing behind me at the till.
I'm just going to hide at home with the kids for the rest of the day and try to avoid any rudeness. Poor kids are so going to be hearing "what do you say?" and "what's the magic word" from Mummy today.