Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

So I have been living in the same apartment for almost 3.5 years, I regularly visit the same launderers at least 2xs a week. The service/prices are great. They do small favors for me on the spot, and I go out of my way (I pass two other dry cleaners on the way) just to give them my business.

Over the years the family, A wonderful family of Chinese descent, consisting of Grandfather/Grandmother, daughter/husband, occasionally a little 7-10 yr old girl (who has a crush on me) have been very nice to me . I am a pretty sociable guy, and I enjoy my 10-15 minutes a week of interaction. They know whats going in my life, and try to do weird things like set me up on dates, and give me food. (The other day they brought me apples from their sunday apple picking trip). I actually really enjoy all of this, and I always leave the store smiling; it's like an extended family almost, I don't know. ANYWAY....

I don't know their friggin names!!! They are luckily enough to know my name from the ticket I started filling out (they now call me "Mr. Matt"); but I feel horrible that I have been "close" with these people for years and don't have any clue to their first names.

When Christmas or the Chinese New Year comes, I want to do something nice for them, but I also want to write a card. I also think it's common courtesy that I should know their name.

What the hell should I do?

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Take a friend in and introduce him. "This is John." They introduce themselves to him and you find out the name.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

you sound sweet, just ask them. i don't think it will hurt their feelings, but i would look for a business card first [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Ask them very politely. Act the dummy for not asking before (won't be a strethc cos you are the dummy for...etc).

They'll probably get a great laugh from this, just do it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
Take a friend in and introduce him. "This is John." They introduce themselves to him and you find out the name.

[/ QUOTE ]

That never works. They are still my dry cleaners, who the hell introduces someone to their dry cleaners.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Take a friend in and introduce him. "This is John." They introduce themselves to him and you find out the name.

[/ QUOTE ]

That never works. They are still my dry cleaners, who the hell introduces someone to their dry cleaners.

[/ QUOTE ]

Who the hell gives their dry cleaners a christmas card?

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

You just gotta get someone else to go in and find out their names.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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What the hell should I do?

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I'd probably just ask.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
you sound sweet, just ask them. i don't think it will hurt their feelings, but i would look for a business card first [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

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Thanks, but I'm actually a huge [censored]. No business card; asking them is the only way I guess?

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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You just gotta get someone else to go in and find out their names.

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This actually hasn't occurred to me before.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
you sound sweet, just ask them. i don't think it will hurt their feelings, but i would look for a business card first [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, but I'm actually a huge [censored]. No business card; asking them is the only way I guess?

[/ QUOTE ]

Noooooooo! We'll think of something elaborate! Much more fun. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Your post sort of reminded me of this,
\
Area Liberal Worried His Asian Dry Cleaner Doesn't Like Him

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
Your post sort of reminded me of this,
\
Area Liberal Worried His Asian Dry Cleaner Doesn't Like Him

[/ QUOTE ]

ha

Gold Jerry, Gold!

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You just gotta get someone else to go in and find out their names.

[/ QUOTE ]

This actually hasn't occurred to me before.

[/ QUOTE ]

Send in another Asian guy to pretend to be a long lost relative. They'll tell him their name.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

You still have time to delete this.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
"Maybe she's mad about my tags," Bern said. "A lot of my stuff says 'Made In China' or 'Made In Hong Kong,' and I know that a lot of those places run sweatshops. I'd feel awful if she thought I was supporting the exploitation of her people."

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Maybe you could call the landlord and ask the name of the people renting that space?

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Just ask. Make light of it. "This is crazy, but over all these years you guys have never told me your names!"

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Or ask the people that run the stores next to them?

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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who the hell introduces someone to their dry cleaners.

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i laughed out loud at that

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

I've got it! Follow them home at night and read the name on the mailbox!

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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Who the hell gives their dry cleaners a christmas card?

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bwahaha, i laughed out loud at that too

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

I have this same situation with my barber - but reversed. I've been going there about 10 years, and take my sons now, and he knows their names, but I'm sure he doesn't know mine.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Are you sure they're Chinese, not Korean?

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
You just gotta get someone else to go in and find out their names.

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That seems like the best answer so far.
Otherwise you could always apologize and tell them that you cannot remember their names. Afterall we are talking about a whole family here, not just you.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Just call them Lee. You've got a 50/50 shot.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Take the coin flip and address the card to the Wangs.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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Are you sure they're Chinese, not Korean?

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Not entirely; but the sign on the front says Chinese Laundry.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

whoa, basically same post as yours at the same time. weird.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

get drunk, call them [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Mainland or Taiwan?

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
Just ask. Make light of it. "This is crazy, but over all these years you guys have never told me your names!"

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Yeah this is the default I guess. I'm leaning this way.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

over the next couple of weeks/months, try this:

if the father is helping you out, try to bring up one of the other family members in your brief conversation. when you do, say something like "so i told your daughter, what's her name again?, blah blah blah." then, you get the daughter's name, and it just looks like the name slipped your mind (or at worst you only forgot her name). repeat this on subsequent trips, but for different family members. if you go twice a week, you've got plenty of time to find out all the names by christmas, and over that span of time no red flags will come up (hopefully).

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

perfect spot for the "crop duster"

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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perfect spot for the "crop duster"

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This is the first time I've chuckled at this. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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Mainland or Taiwan?

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Why are we looking them up in the phonebook? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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perfect spot for the "crop duster"

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This is the first time I've chuckled at this. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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1 time out of 150 isn't bad.

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

[ QUOTE ]
over the next couple of weeks/months, try this:

if the father is helping you out, try to bring up one of the other family members in your brief conversation. when you do, say something like "so i told your daughter, what's her name again?, blah blah blah." then, you get the daughter's name, and it just looks like the name slipped your mind (or at worst you only forgot her name). repeat this on subsequent trips, but for different family members. if you go twice a week, you've got plenty of time to find out all the names by christmas, and over that span of time no red flags will come up (hopefully).

[/ QUOTE ]

Once in a while, Friday mornings,the grandfather is alone, all the other times they are all in there together. This place is just a drop off joing too, so its just one small room with a lot of storage in the back. Good idea though.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

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[ QUOTE ]
Mainland or Taiwan?

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Why are we looking them up in the phonebook? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

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Do you want my help or not? Get me the answer.

Re: Weird Situation with my Dry Cleaners
 

Did they tell you their names and you just forgot, or did they never formally introduce everyone?