in a auto body shop! I sat for three hours waiting to have two, yes, just two tires replaced. They had to order the tires but I gave them 45 minutes to make that thirty minute trip. After an hour my car finally moved from out of the parking lot to into the shop. About forty minutes later they informed me that they can't help with the other problem I am having (my fifth gear pops out of place) apparently it could be the transmission, clutch, or both. Awesome. Great, that's fine I get they can't fix that, let's just stick with the original idea and put the new shiny tires on the front, please. Thirty minutes later they tell me the guy who picks up the tires happened to pick up the wrong kind. Finally a few minutes to six, when they place is supposed to close, the lady at the register offers me a free oil change for my time because "that should not have taken that long" she said. I thank her and make a mental note that the only way you would ever get me back in this shop is for something free, however I am not too pumped about it. Why, you ask? There were only a total of four customers during my three hour stay and one of the other guys there also got a free oil change for his time. Because they had just fixed an axle on his car and today he was towed to the shop because the axle wasn't put on properly.
Now this guy was very forgiving to the shop and began to tell me that this place has messed up his car several times. I asked why he keeps coming back and he said "well, I don't know anything about cars, and the guys here always seem genuine about messing up..." So I thought this was an interesting statement. I once had a doctor that was very nice and always seemed to remember who I was and I appreciated this about him. However one day I went to him with serious questions about my restless legs and he did nothing and appeared to not even care. This could be for a number of reason, he may have been having a really long day and was busy, or he may have not taken me seriously because I had never complained of anything before. Another time I saw a doctor who was not personable at all and very cold, yet I knew very quickly that he was smart and knew his stuff. My point? As much as I appreciate a good attitude and kindness, I also enjoy quality service. I noticed in one of the newspaper clippings that was hanging up in the auto body shop had quoted the owner saying "If we don't fix your car right, bring it back in and we'll fix it..." Hmmm... this just left me feeling like they were leaving too much room to mess it up, when they could just fix it right the first time?
Short story long, despite the very loud and annoying customers that are generally in the lobby, I happened to sit next to a guy my age who was very nice (the guy with the axle problem). He happened to notice my wedding ring (very few men do that) however he has been on the look out as he is about to propose to his long time girlfriend as soon as he finds a ring that suits her. I was happy to gush about where we found the ring and how much I love it. This guy said his girlfriend is "artsy and kind of a hippie" which always makes me laugh and right then I knew she and I would have several things in common. All because she would like a ring like mine. It's an odd philosophy but it's the same when I think of a t.v. show that I never watch, if I meet someone who LOVES it, I can almost guarantee that that person and I will have little in common. Here's the Kevin Bacon map to my theory; this guy's girlfriend would like my ring... she's a writer... they both love Colorado... Sarah Palin came on the t.v. in front of us and we both sighed as if we were just dying for her image to go away... in conclusion; artist. fun. likes nature. and open-minded. All over a ring. Another example albeit a short one; a person I work with loves the show Fraiser and we can barely have a conversation because our sense of humor is so very different, leading to our interests and things we like to spend our time on are so very different.
Even though my car will need some more work done in the next few weeks I am happy to have the new tires in place. It's also nice to meet a nice person in an impatient place. Especially when other people won't even make eye contact or they say really rude things loudly in order to draw attention to themselves. Oh, I also spent twenty minutes watching Oprah next to a woman who kept sighing every time the transgendered woman would try to explain her very complicated situation. I just wanted to lean over to her and say "It's okay. It's not you. Just because she is different you don't have to not like her." This woman seemed very upset by this persons' situation and I just felt compelled to try and understand her.
And then I see yet another video of someone getting beat up and bystanders doing just that. Standing there! While the kid gets beat up! What is that? Can we at least pretend to act like the rest of exist and live together? And better yet act like it's okay to be who we all are even if you don't understand it.
Woah I just wrapped up a whole lot of random into one blog, that'll do pig... that'll do.
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