Dear LBS,

Yes, you have a nice owner. Yes, you have a cute Australian mechanic. Yes, I have spent hours and hours and lotsa lotsa cash in your store this winter, chatting with the both of you and getting my bike perfectly tuned.

That is exactly why I expect a bit more. I know it's spring, I know everybody else has suddenly remembered their bikes and drug them out from the inner corners of their basements and you have a lot to do - I don't care! I'm one of your best customers, and I booked an appointment ten days ago to fix a lot of things, the biggest being changing my rear derailleur. I even talked to both of you and we decided exactly which one to use. We agreed I'd drop my bike off Monday morning, and pick it up Monday afternoon. I need this bike, it's my car, and what keeps me sane.

I delivered my bike Monday morning, today. I phoned an hour later, to remind you of the derailleur we'd decided on.

SO WHY WAS MY BIKE HANGING ON THE RACK IN PIECES WHEN I CAME OVER AN HOUR BEFORE CLOSING TIME? And why, oh why, did it take until three minutes before closing time before the mechanic noticed that the rear derailleur needed to be changed???

I really would like to like you guys, but you're making it bl**dy difficult.

-signed, confused, and fuming