Ironing Shop

I haven't ironed any of my clothes since coming to Abu Dhabi. Where I lived before, there was an in-compound dry cleaner who would also do ironing, which costs AED2.50 per shirt (that's like RM2.20 or AUD$0.90! Now that I've moved, there are a number of dry cleaners around my area. The closest is an "Ironing shop", who apparently also does dry cleaning but calls it an ironing shop because calling it a dry cleaner would cost AED500 more per year in registration fees.

So I went to the closest one today with my pile of clothes. My colleague had been there before (catch - he speaks Hindi, I don't!) and said they're fine. I rock up with my bags, 1 full bag of shirts and another bag for dry cleaning. The 2 guys stare at me.

I hand them my ironing bag and say "pressing only, ok?" and the other bag and say "dry cleaning"
Young Guy : "ah ok ok no problem"
Old Guy has quizzical look on his face, YG says something in Hindi and OG nods. OG gives me a marker pen and makes an indication to write on the plastic bag. I stare at them quizzically.

YG: "Phone number, phone number, name"
Me: "Ah ok ok" and I write my phone number and name on both bags.
YG: "OK thank you, bye bye"
Me: "No no, count how many pieces", so I start taking out and counting the pieces and write the number on the bags.
YG: "Ok OK, no problem"
Me: "Give me your number"
YG: "EH??"
Me: "Your phone number, mobile? Give me paper and pen" . I make a writing gesture
YG: "Ah ok ok". He gives me a piece of paper, I write down their number and name and the number of pieces.
Me: "When ready?"
YG: "samskera" (or something that sounded like that)
Me: "Err, when? tomorrow?"
YG: "Yes Yes tomorrow?"
Me: "Tomorrow yes? Or Monday (its saturday today)"
YG: "Yes yes, Monday"
Me: "Ok, tomorrow, or monday, or when?" and i proceed to count with my fingers the days of the week

YG blabs something in hindi, and it goes on for awhile. In the end I think the ironing is ready by tomorrow and the dry cleaning by who knows when. Actually I don't know if I'll see my clothes again..."fingers crossed!"