It's Leather

So I have this burgundy (sort of) suede jacket. It somehow got a spot on the front of itself. I don't think I did it.

Anyway, I took the jacket to Comet Cleaners today. All I need is the spot removed. You know?

Yes, we do clean leather. It takes about 30 days, which means, I'm sure, that they're like the other cleaning establishment I visited. They send the leather to Washington state for cleaning.

Well, I thought, okay. I can live without it for that long. Then he said, "It will cost, oh, about . . ." and turned to the woman working there who was behind me, "what? about . . ." and nodded.

"It will cost about $39 or $40."

I picked up the jacket and said, "I didn't pay that much for it to begin with." Which is true. I may have said wow or something like it, as well. I pretty much thought wow. But honestly, I was smiling and the tone of my voice was not accusative or harsh. Truly. I was being pleasant.

He said, kind of huffy about it, truly he was huffy, "Well, that's what it costs."

I left, smiling, of course, being the nice person I am trying to be a lot.

So I'm about to go upstairs and see if I still have that little bottle of leather cleaner, which would be about 35 years old, and give it a try myself. If I can find it.

I could pay it, but I won't.

After all . . .