I dialed the toll-free number for the service and repair department of a major appliance store and patiently listened to the recorded message. I become slightly annoyed at having to speak cryptic one-word answers into the handset. "Why can't I just punch a number?!?" I mumble. After 3 minutes of talking like Tarzan and 10 minutes on hold listening to product advertising, I finally get to speak to a human being.
"The water barely trickles out of the water dispenser on my refrigerator," I explained, "I need to make a service appointment."
"Have you tried changing your water filter," suggested the woman on the other end of the line, "That can sometimes cause poor water flow."
"No," I responded. Despite my calm reply, Shenequia, my angry black woman alter ego, is starting to surface. I didn't spend $800 on a new refrigerator only to have it diagnosed over the phone by some operator.
"Are you certain that is the problem?" I ask in a tone that would make Shenequia proud.
"No, but we try to troubleshoot over the phone."
"Can you send out a repairman to tell me if that is the problem or not?"
"No, we don't send out technicians to tell you if you need a water filter."
"So you're telling me that before I can make an appointment to have my refrigerator serviced, I have to purchase a water filter?"
She gave a long-ass reply that I interpreted to mean, "Even though you have a warranty, you have to spend all of your money to try and solve the problem before we spend any of ours."
"Fine," I say frustrated, "how much does a water filter cost?"
"Oh, we don't sell those but I can give you an address where you can purchase one locally."
There was a pause.
"Well, thanks for nothing!" Shenequia says before slamming the phone down.
After work, I drive to the parts store in the pouring rain and spend $38 on a water filter. I labored to remove the old filter and inserted the new one. I get a glass from my cabinet, press it against the dispenser and...(must I type the embarrassing results?)...the water flowed freely.
That poor woman. I feel bad for her. She was just trying to do her job only to be harassed by some raving lunatic in obvious need of an attitude adjustment. And all this after a friend lauded me for having the good sense to know when to keep my "hidden ghetto girl" in check. I know you mean well, Shenequia, but girlfriend, sometimes, you need to keep your mouth shut.
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9 comments:
Aw, sorry to hear that. At least you didn't cuss her out. And at least you don't make a habit of ripping anybody a new one who dares to question your judgment. It was just one moment of frustration, that's all. Hang in there.
I often prepare for a fight anytime I call any customer service department. I wouldn't dare hold an attitude against anyone else.
Hey...it happens. Don't worry about it.
A hidden ghetto girl named Shenequia? Hot!!
grizz babe - oh customer service people - they are so frustrating, and yet we must try to be kind to them. imagine the number of jackasses they have to contend with every bleeding hour. part of the problem is, those jobs are so low paying, they can't staff people who are really with it or give a much of a damn. anyway, your story's amusing, alright.
Yes, it was Tracee Ellis Ross. she was (is) very beautiful, though I can't say I thought so much of her personality. I was around her quite a bit before all that happened - she was pretty good friends with one of my roommates. but she was always very aloof, and let's face it, quite a snob. her elder sister, Rhonda, who was also at Brown, always seemed the nicer of the two, and far less of a jet-setter. however, i will give Tracee this dispensation: being the child of extraordinarily famous and/or wealthy parents comes with a lot of baggage and special hardships. i was a lower income financial aid student in college, but i knew a lot of those types of kids. of course, nothing is an excuse for bad behavior, really, but i think it is understandable that one might be defensive or self-protective when your entire life has been under that level of scrutiny by the media, and you have oppportunistic people trying to get close to you so they can get close to your famous mom. add to that the additional pressures of being a black woman (i don't personally know how they play out, especially when one is in the most elite ranks of society, but i'm sure they factor in, and certainly she's probably butted up against them in her foray into Hollywood in the last several years). so, i try not to be too judgemental about those sorts of uber-wealthy people.
as for her "stealing my man," which in truth is how i often refer to it, though entirely for humor's sake, i rather doubt she knew anything had transpired between us before she made her proposal to him. she also owed me no such loyalty, we really weren't friends, just circling each other in the same society a bit. so it's okay for you to like her. plus, that was ages ago, and hopefully we all grow up a bit in the meantime.
one last thing - i added a couple more anecdotes just now to that posting, if you're curious, and don't think me too much of a ho'.
Thanks for commenting eveybody.
broken - LOL!
kissyface - You're right about being nice to customer service reps. They really do have a tough job. I know that my karma is going to come back to bite me in the ass someday as I too deal with the public quite a bit on my job.
Since you have defended her so eloquently, I guess I'll still like Tracee Ellis Ross and yes she is very beautiful. I once told my beautician that I wanted my hair to look just like Tracee's. This prompted her to come from behind her chair, look me in the eye and say in her best 'Shenequia' accent, "Is your daddy white?"
"No," I sheepishly answer.
"Then your hair is not gonna look like that! Okay?"
Thank God for beauticians that are not afraid to tell it like it is.
I know its off topic, but I can't help myself since your comments started a whole new topic for me.
Sometimes I have to play my own games.
If I grow my hair a lot longer and due to the fact my daddy is white, can I get my hair to look like that?
Broken, only if your mama is named "Shenequia."
Damn... I need a Shenequia!
oh and I'm so glad I came over here... I'm off to change the freakin filter now.
learn something new everyday...
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