[metroschultz]

Please don't blame the shop,
Years ago I owned my own shop.
I learned very early to always do what the customer asked for. Even when "I" thought he was wrong. ( being yelled at for doing the right thing as opposed to what I was told to do)
This may be what you encountered with the other shop.
They may not even have noticed that your steering boots were torn.
The steering boots are very inexpensive. (IIRC $25 per side)
They are relatively easy to install. (3 - 4 hours in your driveway)
You need an alignment when done. (this is part of the expense from asking a shop to do it)
You need to buy a Haynes or Chilton manual and start learning how to do some of the easier stuff on your own. (instead of $350 for CV boots you could pay $200 for new complete axles with a lifetime warranty)
I am sure you would have no trouble doing these thing yourself.
We all know you are not an idiot.
It seems as if you got caught due to lack of information and lack of communication.
Tell us next weekend after you fix the offending part yourself.
Schultz