People shouldn’t say what they don’t mean. For instance, when I was 7 years old, my next-door playmate named, Leigh Ann bit me on the arm. I ran home crying, and my Uncle Harry said, “I’ll kill her!” He never did. I assume Leigh Ann is an old lady by now, and maybe she has no teeth, but my Uncle should never have said, “I’ll kill her,” if he had no intention of doing so.
These many years later, I am still too trusting that people are going to do what they promise. I have a repair/replacement insurance policy on several items in my home, and have never had a problem with the repair promise as stated. However, my washing machine is now on life support. The first repairman who arrived on a Friday told me that my Maytag is older than he is, but said, “It’s a classic. Never get rid of this. They don’t make them like this anymore. Unfortunately, I can’t fix it, and I doubt if we can get the parts, but I’ll send out an older guy on Monday to see what he can do.” “Does he use a walker?” I asked. He ignored me.
The Monday guy had a window of opportunity to show up from 1pm to 5pm. I sat and listened to my washer suffer through a whirling seizure, and finally called the shop at 4:30pm. “You promised that he would show up between 1pm and 5pm. Is he coming?” I asked. “He got hung up, but should be there by 5pm,” was the reply. “Will he still show up after 5pm?” I asked. “I don’t know,” she said, “but have a nice day.” Well, miracle of miracles, he showed up at 5pm. He didn’t use a walker, but had a severe hearing problem. However, by now my washer was thumping so loud that his hearing problem didn’t help him one bit.
After a bit of banging, and poking and prodding, he said, “I can’t fix this, lady,” and after playing with his computer, he said, “There are no available parts.” “Does this mean, I get a replacement?” I gleefully shouted. “Probably,” he said, “But first they have to do a world-wide search for a new porcelain tub for this machine, although, I’m sure they won’t find one, and I don’t know if that would even work.” “Then why do the search?” I asked. “It’s protocol,” he replied. “After they find that they don’t have the part, or it’s too expensive, then they will call you and pay for a new machine, but I have to tell you---no machine is as good as this one.”
“My Maytag is only 48 years old,” I moaned. “I know, he mournfully replied, as he removed his cap and we both looked at my bumping, banging machine. It still washes clothes but under duress. Now, I have to wait two more weeks to see if the worldwide search turns up a tub. I have some Irish friends, and their Irish has rubbed off on me. I can put up with some bumping and grinding. A promise is a promise. And, I swear that this insurance replacement is in my future, or I will call Uncle Harry.
Esther Blumenfeld (Oh, Oh, my dryer is squeaking)