The Crappy Thursday

Well, yesterday started off so well work-wise, then quickly fell apart.

After work, I went for a run. I noticed on my drive home some weird sounds from my brakes, so after a quick shower and change. I had turned on my A/C and the house wasn't getting cooler. The inside system was putting out cool air, but I found that my heat pump wasn't turning on. This system was installed last summer and is brand-new, so I was irritated. I called the A/C place who installed it and scheduled an appointment for today.

So I hopped into my car and headed to Sears to get my brakes checked. The news wasn't good. After five years of heavy driving, I've seriously worn out the front brakes. I need new calipers, new rotors, pads, etc. on the front. With the cooler winter weather, I've driven with the windows up and the radio loud, so I never heard any noises and the brakes never functioned as though there was a problem. The cost is several hundred dollars. Oh well, that's what savings accounts and tax returns are for, I suppose. I left the car with the garage overnight. I looked up what the bus ride home would run me, but it would have taken two hours to get home, so I grabbed a cab.

I'm in a bit of a rush to get it done as I'm driving to Columbus tonight for a horror movie convention or else I'd shop around for better quotes. Naturally, I'm having to skip work today. I'm hoping that today is much better.

Good Plans Gone to Hell

Have you ever felt that the universe was just against your doing something? I'm feeling it now.

I had planned to go to Horrorhound Weekend in Columbus today. I left my car for a brake repair at Sears because the guy there led me to believe they'd start on it first thing in the morning. I had told him I was heading to Columbus and he made the suggestion. The A/C guy was supposed to be at my house at 10 AM, so I thought I'd be at Sears by 11:30 AM, on the road to Columbus by noon.

What a fool I must be.

I called Sears at 10 AM and was told that they were a bit behind because they were waiting for a part to be delivered. I still thought I had time. The A/C guy was still a no-show by 11 AM and showed up at my house at 12:15 PM after I called his office again. He replaces a blown fuse on the unit and is gone by 12:45 PM.

I called for a cab who took a half hour to get to my house when they are based just a few miles away. The cabbie bitched all the way to Sears about how he has been mistreated by the scheduling guy.

We finally arrive at Sears. As I walk in, carrying my backpack and dufflebag, I see my car still on the lift in the garage. It's now 1:30 PM. After waiting for the counter guy to give me the time of day, I ask if my car is ready. He goes to check.

He returns and asks me to step into the next room. I don't like this, he wants me away from everyone else in the room. So I go into the room. he looks at the bag in my hand and asked if I was heading somewhere.

I thought about getting smart with him, saying something like "it's the change of clothes for me to wear after you guys screw me with the grand total." I relent and tell him I'm supposed to be in Columbus by 4 PM. He tells me that the part hadn't shown up until late and it would be another half-hour to 45 minutes for them to finish the brake job. The look on my face must have rattled him because he started apologizing like crazy.

So I went to the waiting room for my car to be ready and resigned myself that maybe this trip was not going to happen. I was already stressed out from a day of poor customer service and broken timeframe promises and, quite frankly, I'd had enough. The idea of dropping myself amidst a large congregation of horror fans in goth makeup, serial killer costumes, and 40-something guys who still lived in their respective mom's basement felt like hell. By the time I got there, I'd have missed the first movie I wanted to see. So I called and canceled by hotel reservation.

After I finally got my car, the guy at the counter wouldn't look me in the eyes and didn't give me the usual "call this number for a chance to win..." speech. I'm tempted to send in a complaint.

... Meh...