Fridge story
Nov. 2nd, 2011 02:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
botias"I got it from a little old lady who was upgrading." The man patted the used refrigerator. "I'm a professional repairman who does some refurbishing on the side. I've checked this over and it's in great shape."
My gaze went to the dent at the bottom and the scuffs on the side. They weren't deal breakers, and the model was just what I was looking for. I had been so happy when he'd called me back and said his previous prospect had decided not to take it. But... an old lady? Really? With an anger management problem and set of golf clubs? I resisted the urge to ask if she only drove it to church on Sunday. Not everyone likes my humor.
If someone seems to be lying to you, it's a bad idea to buy a used appliance from them, right? But if I walked away, isn't that like saying he's dishonest? That seems mean. As I wavered a sheriff's deputy showed up to decide the matter. He's there to serve papers on the refrigerator repairman. The bank is on the brink of repossessing his truck. Mean or not, that's when I had to walk away.
Oh, no, wait, that's what a smart person would have done. In a tizzy about how upsetting that must be for him, I quickly agreed to buy the fridge, and he agreed to deliver it. Panic set in as I went to the bank to withdraw the cash, and then all that was left was to go home and explain to the Mister what I had done. Unlike the wiser customer who had looked at it before me, I had promised to pay a few hundred dollars for a dented appliance sold by a desperate man.
He was not surprised or particularly bothered. After 25 years he's had to become accustomed to my inability to say no to people's used sofas, old doors and pet tarantulas. And it all turned out well, much better than the Honda I once bought at night in a rainstorm. The guy showed up on time, and went above and beyond. He helped muscle the new fridge into our rental and the old one into the garage. It's been a few months now and the fridge has performed just as if it were vetted by a skilled technician after being pampered by some sweet little old lady--who liked to swat flies with a crow bar. Yay!
My gaze went to the dent at the bottom and the scuffs on the side. They weren't deal breakers, and the model was just what I was looking for. I had been so happy when he'd called me back and said his previous prospect had decided not to take it. But... an old lady? Really? With an anger management problem and set of golf clubs? I resisted the urge to ask if she only drove it to church on Sunday. Not everyone likes my humor.
If someone seems to be lying to you, it's a bad idea to buy a used appliance from them, right? But if I walked away, isn't that like saying he's dishonest? That seems mean. As I wavered a sheriff's deputy showed up to decide the matter. He's there to serve papers on the refrigerator repairman. The bank is on the brink of repossessing his truck. Mean or not, that's when I had to walk away.
Oh, no, wait, that's what a smart person would have done. In a tizzy about how upsetting that must be for him, I quickly agreed to buy the fridge, and he agreed to deliver it. Panic set in as I went to the bank to withdraw the cash, and then all that was left was to go home and explain to the Mister what I had done. Unlike the wiser customer who had looked at it before me, I had promised to pay a few hundred dollars for a dented appliance sold by a desperate man.
He was not surprised or particularly bothered. After 25 years he's had to become accustomed to my inability to say no to people's used sofas, old doors and pet tarantulas. And it all turned out well, much better than the Honda I once bought at night in a rainstorm. The guy showed up on time, and went above and beyond. He helped muscle the new fridge into our rental and the old one into the garage. It's been a few months now and the fridge has performed just as if it were vetted by a skilled technician after being pampered by some sweet little old lady--who liked to swat flies with a crow bar. Yay!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 04:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 04:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 04:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 04:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 08:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-04 04:06 am (UTC)