While we were socializing, Shamrock towing came and took Brandy's car away. Her crime was not having a parking pass for the neighborhood.
We should have learned our lesson when Sis' car was towed about a month ago. We did not.
Brandy had to call Shamrock. They quoted her $133, so I motioned for the phone:
Me: The sign says $90 towing fee plus $12 storage fee. That's $102. Why is
it $133?
Jerk Lady: There is a $25 administrative fee plus tax.
Me: Administrative fee? That's not on the sign. I demand that all fees be
written on signs.
Jerk Lady: It's Ohio Revised Code.
Me: Which one?
Jerk Lady: Look on the sign.
Me: No, I will not. You want to charge me $25, you should know the revised
code. What is it?
Jerk Lady: Look, I'm not the one who parked where I shouldn't have. The
code is on the sign.
Me: You don't have to be a jerk, lady. If I have to pay, I'd like to know
the code. I need to speak to your manager.
Jerk Lady: She's not in. You have to call Monday.
Me: What's her name? What's her number?
Jerk Lady: Her name is Manager. You can call this number.
Me: Oh, I will! And I will tell her all the jerky things you said to me. I
have written them all down so that I can quote you verbatim! You have met your
match this time.
Oh, yes I would fight the administrative fee with every breath I have!
That's what is called impotent rage. I was mad at the property management company for its stupid parking rules, I was mad at the towing company for towing Brandy's car, I was mad at Jerk Lady and her stupid $25, but mostly I was mad at myself for knowing the stupid rules and ignoring them.
I was furious. I mean I couldn't think of anything else.
I took Brandy to get her car and, as I drove home alone, I thought of ways to alleviate my feeling of rage. I came to a simple solution.
I called Jerk Lady - we could probably just call her Lady now - back and apologized to her for being a jerk myself. She didn't deserve to be the recipient of my anger. It's not like she gets to keep the $25.
It worked, too. Once I did the right thing, I felt better; no more impotent rage. I went home and went to bed without another thought about towing or administrative fees.
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing. As a parent, your reaction and then your actions, proves I did something right. 1. To stand up for yourself and speak your mind about injustice. 2. To recognize when you're wrong in trying to be "right" and then taking steps to correct it. I guess I did an okay job after all!!
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