Seriously?

I think my parents are losing their minds sometimes. It’s probably something to do with living such a rural life. I mean, they’re not cut off from human contact, or anything, but they’re both in situations where the only contacts they have are ones they’ve chosen. It’s affecting their memories. I was telling my dad about my computer issues the other day and how I am currently using my most ancient laptop. Well, he starts arguing that his is older and still works fine. I had to remind him that I’ve had this computer since shortly after I transferred to Southern and that they didn’t get a laptop until well after they moved to Vermont full time. That’s a difference of at least three years. He knows I’m right, but rather than admit it he just changed the subject. He also tends to forget which stories he’s told me and other people, but I think that’s more to do with the fact that he really likes to tell stories and can’t always recall who’s heard what. My mom isn’t much better. She’s convinced herself somehow that they didn’t have a water bed when we lived at East Rocks because they never would have put that much weight in that bedroom. On the contrary, I distinctly recall it developing a leak one day and having to have the carpets in their bedroom professionally cleaned.

But whatever. I give up.

I actually typed out a whole entry this morning, then somehow lost my internet connection for no explicable reason other than that my computer is crap and got confused. Right up to there is as much as OD had saved before I lost it, I guess. Now I’m sitting in the "business center" in the main office of our apartment complex and using one of their computers to get my internet fix in, on the probability that my computer won’t be working when I get home. I’m stuck using Internet Explorer, though, which always makes me want to throw things… namely the computer.

Anyway.

I’ve had something bordering on a lousy day so far. Like I said, my computer spazzed out and I lost most of the entry I’d already written. Then, figuring I had nothing else to do, I got in the shower and then went to the mall. Unfortunately, I forgot that malls are magical places that don’t run on normal business hours. Fortunately, Macy’s was open early for some special sale so I meandered around there. I still haven’t found a suitable wrap to wear to the ball, so I guess I’ll just wear a coat and check it. The sad thing is that I know exactly where to get one. They just don’t have that store out here. Too high end, I guess.

Anyway, the point of going to the mall was the find a new wallet for Alan and I chose to go to Sears, thinking that way I wouldn’t have to put it on our joint checking account debit card and make him wonder what that charge was when he looked at the account activity. I found one that was perfect. It had lots of separate slots for cards, which works for Alan since he has to stack his. Only when I take it up to pay for it, it’s not scanning and comes up "Not Found" when the cashier enters the UPC  on the keyboard. Okay, so she calls a manager. Well according to the manager, after several minutes, the wallet isn’t in the system yet so she can’t sell it to me. What the hell? Then why is it on the damn shelf? According to her, it’s because the seasonal people put things out without putting them in the system properly and would I like this other one instead? Seriously? Screw you, lady. I looked at the other ones and chose the one I did for a reason. Are you the manager or what? Is there some reason that you can’t enter it in the system yourself? I told her that it was the second time in as many weeks that something like this had happened, that it was utterly ridiculous and that next time I wouldn’t waste my time even trying to shop there. And it was the second time is as many weeks. When I went to the Sears across town to try and get Alan a digital camera, I asked for the one I wanted. The sales guy then tells me that they don’t have any and neither does the other Sears and when he looks on the computer, it just says not available. I asked him if I could order one and pick it up later. He can’t even tell me if they’ll ever be available again. I go online when I get home… THAT exact camera is available and in stock, ready to ship. I got Alan a better one. I am seriously not going to bother trying to shop there anymore. It’s a waste of time.

Not only that, but if they can’t be bothered to even try to help a customer, why in the hell should I give them my money?

It just highlights the fact that customer service doesn’t seem to exist in this town. We’ve a major problem with the utility company too. We haven’t gotten a billing statement since June (I checked). So every month we have called and complained about the lack of statement and asked for our balance, which Alan has then paid online. Then on Monday, for the first time in months, I actually got a statement. I also got a notice saying that we owed them $92 and change and that they would be shutting off our service if it wasn’t paid by the 29th. What the fuck? I know we missed one month because that was when the car broke. But we called the next month and asked what we owed and they told us and we paid it. I thought it was low at the time, but that was the number they gave us. What did they think we were calling for? The fun of it? We called because we needed to know how much money we owed them. Because we wanted to PAY them. So to what purpose is it to NOT tell us how much we fucking owed?! I paid it of course, and wrote them a very strongly worded, but overall polite email to which they still have not responded. I knew that if I called I would end up swearing and I know it’s the policy at most places to hang up when you’re being sworn at. And we get nowhere if they hang up on me.

But again, it’s a matter of customer service. I’m paying money. You should WANT my money. I had the same problem when we had the car fixed. $3000 and they act like I’m dirt. When we got the car back there were papers from the glove compartment strewn on the passenger side floor and seat and there were streaky greasy handprints on the inside of the driver’s door. In Connecticut, almost any dealer you take a car to for repairs will WASH your car before you get it back. And even if they don’t, they certainly don’t return it in worse condition than they got it!

What the hell happened to "the customer is always right?"

Fuck, the best customer service I’ve seen lately was today at McDonald’s. The guy at the window asked me what I had ordered so that he didn’t give me the wrong thing. Nice guy, too.

Incidentally, the woman at Macy’s was really nice too. I ended up going there after the nastiness at Sears and found a very nice wallet for Alan that’s probably better quality and wasn’t much more expensive.

::sigh:: I’m reluctant to go home just now, knowing I have a good chance of not having any computer or internet. At least I remembered that this "business center" was up here. Maybe it means I can’t check my email in my jammies, but at least I’m not totally cut off. Next time I’ll bring my iPod though, so I don’t have to listen to the idiots in the office gossiping.

~Liz