Jack Brown Boycott

This is where I use my position as a Blogger to wield whatever miniscule power comes with the otherwise pointless hours I spend documenting semi-(and not so) interesting activities of our lives. I'm sure it's tasteless and tacky, but now you know something about me. Or maybe you already knew this about me and this is the confirmation you needed to pass judgment. Feel free.

I don't do much dry-cleaning. Bubble Boy works at Whole Foods which considers khaki shorts and any kind of collared shirt getting fancy. Mostly I take in sweaters of mine that either require dry-cleaning or I'm too lazy to wash and dry properly so why not take them to the cleaners when there's a Jack Brown $2.79 cleaners right down the street?

Off I go to take two new sweaters (worn twice each) to the cleaners right before Christmas. This was my mistake. Their hours were screwy during the holidays. Closed for several days around Christmas and New Years. I had houseguests and things were a l'il crazy until well into January. So, I kept forgetting to pick up the sweaters. I'd remember them when I'd get dressed but while out and about doing my Mommy Job, I'd never think about them.

'Til today. Stopped by and guess what?

No sweaters.

As the ever helpful woman who works there haughtily snapped down her newspaper and snappily pointed out, they're "Not Responsible for Items Left More Than 30 Days". It says so clearly on the 8"x11" poster behind the desk. Don't I see? When asked To Where do the Articles Go? she replied that "He" picks them up and takes them to Goodwill. Pointing to the Goodwill in the same shopping center. Off I go to the Goodwill. Maybe some good karma from picking up someone's shopping cart and returning it to the Cart Corral will pay back and they're still on the racks. The ladies there never heard of ever receiving anything from the cleaners. Back I go to the Jack Brown.

Where exactly do the clothes go? I say.

Goodwill, she says.

The people at Goodwill don't know what I'm talking about, I say.

All I know is that HE picks them up and takes them somewhere, she says.

Without even a phone call? I say. Don't you think a phone call would be courteous before you give away someone's CLOTHING?

But the sign...she says.

Yeah, yeah. I SEE the sign. It also says you require a ticket stub to pick up clothing but you've NEVER asked me for one of those. Don't you think a good business practice would be a courtesy call before you take away someone's CLOTHING? I say.Why do you take my phone number if you're not even going to use it?

Blank stare. Back to the newspaper.

Finally I get a phone number for the mysterious "He" of the Jack Brown Emerald City. I don't expect to get any compensation or even an apology. I just want him to know that he lost a customer due to a lack of a phone call. And now maybe the legions of readers to My Suburban Bubble will join me in solidarity and won't be taking their clothes to him for him to auction on ebay or sell at consignment.

So there. And if you see a lovely green wool sweater or a red zippered cardigan that are cute as can be at Goodwill? They're mine. Grab 'em for me?