The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Yesterday, I could commiserate with Alexander in Judith Viorst’s children’s book from 1972. Or Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day”. And you thought I might not be able to come up with a song! Actually I like that song… pretty much a “hey, it happens – get over it” song.

It began with me going to the Sears Auto Center to get Gnu Shooz put on Phred. (Thanks Dan!) I have gone to them several times in our 18+ years here in Happy Valley, mostly after being quite ripped off by Big O Tires (don’t know if you all have that chain in your area or not – if so, stay away!) And I’ve had very good service from Sears. Until this time.

I had gone in about ten days ago to get them at the sale price (buy three get one free PLUS a $75 mail in rebate.). They rang it all up, and Jody and I left Phred to be re-shod and went about other errands. Half an hour later my cell rings and it’s Sears, telling me they only have 3 tires. Grumble grumble grumble… Back to Sears, put the tires on reserve to hold the price and go on about our business. And wait for Sears to call again.

Which they did on Monday. So Tuesday around 10:30 AM I got Phred into the shop. I get to deal with a clerk for whom English is possibly a third language. I told him my name and that I was here for a new set of tires. So he’s on the computer looking up customers and passes over my name twice. So I actually had to spell my last name letter by letter in Spanish (one learns rudimentary Spanish after living here so long). Finally he got it. Print out the work order. Sign here. And then “your vehicle should be ready in about 2 hours”.

Well crap. Two hours to kill in the Mall in the middle of the day. On a Tuesday. OK, I’ll take advantage of this and do a “Mall Walk” (circle the Mall and walk about 1-1/8 miles) and stop in places that I can think of where I may actually have some business. First – stop at Herbergers (department store). Do a bit of pre-shopping for Jody for a few new duds for her upcoming trip to DC. Find a few things, make a mental note that a 20% sale starts on Wednesday (today) and resume my walk.

Cutlery USA. I remember they offer sharpening services. Walk in, inquire, am assured it’s overnight service, and then hand over the two blades I’m carrying. Scare a customer in the process when I snap open my Blur to show the owner of the shop that the black anodized finish isn’t holding up as well as I thought it would (there’s a reason they call it a Blur). Wouldn’t trade it for anything, though. Settle up and resume my walk.

Hit Target, because my eyes are itching and watering so bad it’s nearly blinding me. Between everything our 40 mph winds kicked up on Monday, and all the scents from the perfume counters, candle shops, Body Works shop... my allergies are going like 90. Buy some Visine-A eye drops and apply several times. I can see again. Resume my walk back to the other end of the Mall. Arrive back at Sears when the two hours are up. Peer out the window to the shop and see Phred up on a hoist with no shooz on his hind feet.

Find out that all tires had been removed from the rims, new tires installed, and now a tech was balancing them. Sit in the waiting room and read a boring car magazine from 3 years ago. Just before 1:30, Phred was ready. But wait… why are there 2 of his old tires being loaded into the back of Phred? Well, someone had written up the order to reflect that I wanted them to dispose of (and pay the disposal fee for) only 2 tires. No, I don’t want to haul home 2 used tires, so just add the extra $4 and take those 2 as well. Sorry, this ticket is now closed. Fine. I’ll give you $4 cash – just take them out of Phred. I can’t do that – ticket is closed. Write a new ticket, then. I don’t know how…. MANAGER! They removed the tires and comp’d the $4. Big spenders.

OK – now to Wally World to pick up one prescription and go home. Walk up to the window to find a sign “Pharmacy closed until 2:00 PM while the Pharmacist is at lunch”. Great. 25 minutes to kill wandering around The Evil Empire. I’m hungry, a bit low on blood sugar, getting crankier by the second… So I hit the McD’s embedded in this place for a quick burger and a milk. Kills enough time to then go back to the Pharmacy counter. Where I find a line a mile long – stretching all the way back into the greeting cards with people waiting until their digital watches strike (metaphorically, of course) 2:00 PM. I get to wait several minutes, having to listen to a seven year old open and hear every musical greeting card on the shelves. At least the line moves quickly (starting at 2:01 according to my digital watch) and I’m on my way.

Home. Next on list – call Humana, my Medicare Part D provider. I find out they still have not canceled my membership and have been taking $42 bucks from me every month, even though I chose a new provider in December and told them to cancel in January. “I don’t see any notes that you’ve called us this year…” selective amnesia. Get it canceled for sure, only to find out on the next call that my new Part D may not qualify. In which case I get to choose a different provider, but be penalized with a 1% surcharge for not being able to understand, or worse, follow the convoluted rules set up by W’s administration. Finally, after 45 minutes on the phone, get it straightened out. All is well in W’s “Magical Prescription Drug Plan Mystery Tour”.

The day was not a total loss. We enjoyed a very nice dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant, with a couple of representatives of a contractor with whom Jody is working – they're doing an energy audit and installing a lot of “green” components on a very large HVAC system on one of GJHA’s properties. The meal and the company were good. I even got complimented on my Italian pronunciation of the dishes. "You must have taken Italian courses." I bit my toungue, recalling all the various phonetic lessons necessary to sing operas in Italian, German, French, Italian... and said, "no... but mille grazi."

Today should be a better day. Without having to move to Australia…