A Roofing Adventure

Friday started out a little slow. I had gotten up a little later than usual which somehow threw me off pace (although how one can be thrown off something as non-existant as my pace has recently become is somewhat of a puzzle)and I was flopping around the house. Did I just say that I live in a flop-house? Ugh!

Then the phone rings and it’s Dad. Rather unusual at this time of day. A call at this time of day is not normally conversational in nature, but frequently means there is something he wants me to do. And guess what – I was right.

A quite abnormally subdued and polite voice (claiming he was my father) greeted me from the telephone receiver and asked if I’d like to come sit with him while he waited for some people to show up about the “little accident” he’d just had backing out of his driveway.

What can you say to that? Not right now, Dad. The dog is getting itchy and smelly again so I thought I’d bathe her. Then I was considering trimming my toenails and picking lint out of my belly-button. But when I’m finished with those things…I’ll be right over. Nope. Not me. I remember the time he got his medications mixed up and described the event of shooting the television set as a “little accident”.

I got to Dad’s house and was very relieved to see that what had happened actually was a “little accident”. Roofers working on the house across from him had one of their trucks blocking in the drive of that house. In an effort to get out of their way and clear the drive, the roofer pulled INTO my father’s driveway at the same exact moment that my father way trying to leave. OOPSIE!

The cars were still sitting right there at the point of impact. The roofer’s truck had a broken signal light and Dad’s CRV (kind of a dwarf SUV) had the fiberglass spare tire cover scratched up. Did i mention that BOTH vehicles were sitting smack dab in the driveway?

The roofing supervisor arrives and promises that his company will take care of the damages. No need to call the police. We ask for written documentation that this will happen and they agree…if we’ll trot on up to their office they’ll give us something right now. No problem…and we un-call the police (who really weren’t going to do anything anyway since it was on private property) and head up there – less than 1 mile away.

We must have entered the office through a time warp or a zone warp or SOME sort of warp. The promise of fixing changed to…exchange insurance information with the roofing employee and his insurance will have to cover it.

Huh? Er……..NO.

What if insurance refuses to pay? Will “Reddy Roofers” pay then?

No… our employee, Mr. LostInTheStreet will pay out of his pocket.

I see. And if Mr. LostInTheStreet DOESN’T pay?

We’ll make sure he does. It’ll be taken care of.

Ah-ha. Just like 10 minutes ago you said you were going to take care of this, no problem?

At least the man had the decency to look chagrined.

For the next 4 FREAKING HOURS we went through the ‘dance’ with these people. They changed stories so many times I thought I was in the library. Just wanted to check the book out and go home! It’s a family business. We talked to “dad” (who is 2nd generation…and about 70…and used to play high school football [he told us so!] and a rational businessman) and talked to “Jr.” (who was a putz, a jerk, a jackass AND informed Dad at one point that he actually can’t be held responsible for his employees).

Bottom line – they’re paying for most of the damage – all but $50. Not so bad…but not really the “good business” thing to do. All this crap for less than $300 damage. Game over…at least for today…and I hope I don’t need a roof any time in the near future!