Warning: This is a long story. Haha!

As some of you already know, one of my Halloween costumes this year is Storm from X-Men.  While I have been very excited to get this whole costume together, getting there has been kind of a nightmare. 

It all began back in July when I decided to start getting things together. A quick Google search showed me that I was not going to be able to find a good pre-made Storm outfit (seriously, has anyone ever seen her wearing anything like this???). So I realized if I wanted to do this, I would have to put it together myself.  So I got the stretchy pants, the high heel boots, the wig, the white contacts. The hard part would be the top. I figured all I would need is a black corset and then some material for the cape and trimming. But finding a black corset is harder then it would seem.

In the process of trying to find one, I stumbled across a costume shop. While they did not have what I needed, they did say that they could make it for me, cape and all. I thought this was great because I’m no seamtress and I’m not sure I would have done a good job. So after showing them pictures of what I wanted, I was told that I would get a call sometime in September to get a fitting. And that is where my nightmare begins…….

So September came, and no call.  When the 15^th rolled around I was like “Ok, what the hell? Where is my call?” So I called them. I was told that they were having trouble with their fabric supplier and that they would call me when they received the material.  I was like ok. Fair enough. It’s not their fault that the materials they needed to do a good job were being held up. But still, they could have at least called me. But whatever. 

So October came, and no call.  Again when the 15^th rolled around I was like “Come on! Halloween is just around the corner! Are they seriously not going to call me???”  So, again, I called them and had to leave a message. I got a message back saying that they were still having issues getting the fabric but would call me next week for a fitting.  This is when I started to panic. I called them back and let them know that I would be out of town on the 27^th so I needed the costume before then. Finally they said to come in on the 25^th for a fitting. I thought that was cutting it close but whatever, at least we are making some progress. 

I came in on the 25^th, ready to try something on when the guy making my costume came out with nothing but handfuls of fabric. He wanted to know which I liked best. I was like I am leaving in less than two days and you don’t having anything for me to try on???? I told him which one I wanted, he took some measurements and then asked if I wanted this before Halloween. I was like, I need this ready to go tomorrow!!! I mean, really I told these people my situation. They knew my situation from way back in July.  I understand that a costume shop during Halloween must be like a toy store during Christmas but really, get your shit together.  So once again I was told that I would be called when it was ready the next day.

So the next day came and no call!!! When 3pm rolled around I called them to ask about when I should come and get the costume.  They told me 6pm. So I showed up, excited and ready to finally take my costume home. They take me downstairs to try it on and he brings out what is basically a rough draft of my costume. It was clearly not done yet.  Now I am losing my patience.  He does some adjusting while I try it on, takes some notes and an assistant asks me how I want the cape to look.  I tell them what I want and then they ask me when I’m leaving tomrrow. I’m like first thing in the morning, I need this tonight!  So he tells me that when it is ready, he will call me and bring it to my house.  At this point it is after 6pm, but I figure ok he will need a few more hours, no big deal. At least it will be done before I leave. 

I get home and 8pm comes. Then 9pm. 10pm. And I am getting progressively more pissed with each passing hour. I wanted to be packed and in bed by 10pm because I had to get up early. I wanted to be well rested because of the busy travel day I was having tomorrow.  I start calling the costume shop and getting nothing but the voice mail. FINALLY he calls after 11pm and says its ready and asks where I live.  I tell him and 20 mins later he arrives with the top completed. I’m happy but I notice that the headpiece that we discussed only hours ago was missing.  He’s all, “Oh, I forgot it at the shop.” So I’m like well are you going to go back and get it. He says he can’t because the friend giving him a ride has work in a few minutes so he will go home, make another headpiece and I can pick it up on my way to the airport tomorrow. 

Now, I appreciate that he is going the extra mile to ensure that I have a complete costume but SERIOUSLY??? YOU MEAN I NOW HAVE TO TAKE MORE TIME AND GAS OUT OF MY DAY TO PICK UP THIS THING AT YOUR DAMN HOUSE??? Not only that but my flight is at 10am and the airport is only a 25 min drive from my house. And his home is on the way to the airport. The problem is that he is also going out of town, too.  And leaving at freaking 6:30am!!!!! So that meant that I had to get my already sleep deprived happy ass up at 5:30am so I could catch him at his place before he leaves! Son of a bitch!! But I go and I get it.  And finally I have my complete costume. 

But still, after all of that, the costume does not look that great.  It definitely looks like he rushed it.  I mean it’s better then anything I would have put together but still, for being “professionally” made it should look better.  But here’s where the story turns in my favor. At no point, throughout this whole debacle was I asked to pay. During all the fittings and telephone conversations, and even when I picked up my final costume piece from that guy’s house, he made no mention of how or when I would be paying. So I figure one of a couple of things maybe going on. Maybe the people at the shop discussed it and decided to not have me pay as an apology for the inconvenience and poor service and they would be frigging right, too!!! Another thing that could have happened is that maybe they thought I already paid or that one of them had already handled that.  A final, and I think the most likely, possibility is that they simply forgot. As you have read this is not the most organized business and in all the confusion, maybe they just forgot to have me pay.  And that is fine with me!

If they had given me a good product when they said they would, then I would have been more then happy to see that they got their money. But after the hell they put me through, I am not going out of my way to pay for this.  I won’t be calling them or anything. Why should I? The same courtesy wasn’t granted to me when I was waiting for them to call me and give me an update on my costume. Do you think that’s wrong? After all, it is dishonest of me to not let them know I have not paid since they did provide me a service. You can even say that it is stealing?

So should I call them and let them know I have not paid yet? Or should I wait for them to call me?