The Customer is Always...?

I don't even believe what just happened to me. After several months of leaving my son's band uniform at the cleaners I was down to the wire - he needs it tomorrow night. Back up to last week, I went to pick up the uniform and was told there was not a uniform for 'Fuller'. They only had one band uniform there and yes, it was a Dexter uniform but it had a different name - 'Anthony Campos'. So obviously there was a mix-up and Anthony had picked up Nathan's. But nothing is obvious in my life or simple either. I was told I could not pick up the uniform because I was not the one who dropped it off but to check with the band director to see if Anthony had turned one in. Forget that my son's uniform was missing and that this was the only Dexter uniform they had. Oh, that's right, I forgot, MOMS know NOTHING!

Sure enough, when I checked with Ms. Schmidt Anthony had indeed turned in a uniform already and can you believe the #'s in his uniform did not match the one he checked out? So today, naturally the day before he has to have it, I go to pick it up-at 5:30-right before closing-already on the mental edge. Little did I know...

ME: I need to pick up a band uniform for Anthony Campos, please.
CLERK: (get the uniform-again the only one there) That will be $9.65
ME: Counting out the correct change - all the cash I have left mind you.
CLERK: Taking the cash, removing the tag, pausing..."Does this uniform belong to you?"
(I must not look like the mother of Anthony Campos...but since when do the cleaners ask if what you're picking up belongs to you?)
ME: Blah, blah, blah...I go on to explain the whole story
CLERK: Well, I can't release this uniform to you. Anthony is going to have to come pick it up himself.
ME: Why should Anthony's parents have to pick up or pay for another uniform?
CLERK: Because they dropped this one off.
ME: Maybe they did, but they were given the wrong one when they picked one up, and now I don't have one for my son and he needs it tomorrow.
CLERK: We are very careful and don't make mistakes like that.
ME: Ok, whatever. The band director told me she could speak to someone if there were any questions. I can call her.
CLERK: As long as she can authorize the release of the uniform. But I will have to have my manager approve it also when he comes in tomorrow morning and then you can pick it up anytime after 7.
ME: So I will have to make another trip back here to pick it up? (We live in the country outside of town.)
CLERK: I cannot release this to you.
ME: So I'm stuck having to clean up the mess for someone else's mistake?
CLERK: WE didn't make the mistake and I can't...
ME: I know, I know; you can't release it to me! (I go to my van and look up the phone # for the band director, meanwhile she is calling her manager. I explain what is happening to Ms. Schmidt who is laughing-me, not so much at this point. I go back in and tell her I have the band director on the phone and ask her to speak with her.
CLERK: (This is the biter!) I'm not going to talk to her. How do I know who you have on the other end of that phone?!
ME: You have got to be kidding me, right? You just told me the band director could speak to someone and authorize you to release the uniform. And now I'm a liar! I don't want the uniform because it's mine - it belongs to the school anyway!
CLERK: Well, she can call the manager at 7am! (She thrusts the store phone at me.) Here, my manager want to talk to you!

Fortunately for the manager, he had a very different tone and was very kind. He tried to explain her behavior as 'protecting herself' and that there are people who pick up other people's laundry without permission - please, somebody wants somebody else's band uniform? I know they make a great fashion statement but really! Good news is he told me to take the uniform and leave a phone number where he could reach me if he needed to. Now tell me please, WHY could we not have done that from the beginning?

Somebody please, call the Fashion Police!