To expect to be able to get my coat dry cleaned in less than 5 days

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHopeful]

Have popped into 3 dry cleaners today. I need to drop my coat off today and pick it up Monday morning. They have all said it will take them till Thursday to dry clean it.

Why does it take this long? I am sure you could pay a bit extra and get them to clean it for next day pick up just a year ago but they all look at me like I'm a mad woman.

Next day pick-up, hmm... I tried that once. Took a dress in on the Thursday to a cleaners advertising 24-hr service. Hoping to wear it Friday night. They said I'd missed the deadline for that day (was say 3pm, I arrived at 5). Fair enough, I said, so when would I get it back? Tuesday, they said. Tuesday???!! No service Sat or Sun. So, I said, I should get it back Monday with their "24 hour service". No, they said, Tuesday.

I pointed out that they were advertising a service that they couldn't by any stretch of the imagination deliver, that 24 hours did not equal 5 days, and stormed out in a huff. Don't think I've been to a dry-cleaners since stupid idiots that they are.

I'll see your 5 days and raise you 3 (count 'em) weeks for a suede jacket!

3 weeks good grief. Maybe this dry cleaning lark is tougher than I thought.