Sketchy, sketchy jewelry store

Nuts.

On Friday, I dropped off a couple of necklaces that had broken (a while ago) to a jeweler that's near my office in downtown Boston. The woman at the store was on the phone the entire time I was there. I took out the necklaces to show her, and eventually she takes a break from her phone call to ask me, "What do you want?" I tell her that I want the necklaces repaired. She says that I can pick them up on Monday and then she starts to get out an envelope for the necklaces as I set down my debit card on the counter. Then she asks me if I can go get cash from the ATM machine. I do so, come back and give her $40; the repairs cost $30, so she goes to get me change. Apparently the change is not coming from a register, though, because I look up and she's digging through her wallet for enough coins to make up another dollar. When she finds enough coins, she's still a dollar short of ten, so I tell her it's okay. She says that she'll give me the last dollar on Monday. I should've taken my necklaces back at that point seeing as how it's a jewelry store, selling actual jewelry, and it should seem more than slightly suspicious that they don't take credit cards.

On Monday I stop by at lunch time to pick up my necklaces. I'm excited, because they've been broken for a while, I like wearing necklaces, I like having some variety in my jewelry wardrobe, and this past year I don't think I've worn any jewelry at all aside from my watch and my brass rat. When I get to the store, it's the same woman working there. She asks me what I want, and after some dialogue that doesn't really get anywhere, she asks, "You dropped them off here?" to which I respond, "Yeah, I gave them to you, you were on the phone the entire time...?" Is any of this ringing a bell?! I describe the necklaces to her, something finally seems to click, and she tells me to try at 5pm that day, but to call first.

When I call later on, the same woman picks up the phone. I ask her if my necklaces are ready, I describe them to her, and then she says that they haven't been dropped off yet. She says to try after 5pm on Tuesday. Since the jewelry store is on my way to the T, I decide I'll swing by for the heck of it. A different person is there behind the counter. I ask him if I can pick up my necklaces. He starts to hunt for them, and during this, the woman comes into the store and asks me what I want. She says they haven't been dropped off yet. I say, "Tomorrow, then?" She starts to say yes, but then says, "Wednesday for sure." I'm skeptical and I tell her that she had said I could pick them up today—so why the delay until Wednesday? She and the man there say something about Jewish holiday, so maybe the guy who actually repairs the jewelry has been delayed... I say okay and that I'll call on Wednesday before I try to pick up the necklaces.

Tuesday I completely forget to check for the necklace. Today (Wednesday), I try to call the store around lunchtime. Apparently they use the same line for both their phone and their fax, so when I call, I just get the fax signal. Greeeeeaaat. I manage to forget about it for the rest of the afternoon, but I remember (and get excited) as I'm on my way to the T after work. As I approach the store, I see that the gate is down (that gate that all city stores have over their storefront), and they're not supposed to be closed yet. I go up to the gate to make sure I'm not misremembering the store hours. When I look inside, I discover that the display cases inside the store are EMPTY.

...

@&%#! I go back and analyze the storefront display. It's pretty much empty, too, but there are still a few things there. I didn't notice any signs about the store closing, or renovation, or a magic fairy who comes and takes all the jewelry away to clean it every night. (Although, now that I think about it, I guess the smart thing for a jewelry store in a major city would be to take the jewelry off the shelves and hide it every night, so maybe there's still hope.)

Anyway. That's my story. I hope my necklaces haven't been lost. One of them is actually a pretty simple silver chain that my mom gave me and wouldn't be impossible to replace, but the other one was a birthday present from one of my best friends from high school, Kami, and I doubt I'll be able to replace it. Many phone calls will be made tomorrow.