A Little Rant

Okay, so maybe a BIG rant.

I got a phone call today from the collection's agency (a.k.a. the worst job ever next to parking-ticket-guy) saying that my bill from our storage unit had been sent in. Isn't that just a little gem of news! I have had several (3) late payment notices from the storage unit sent to my apt and every time the phone call ends with an apology "for the misunderstanding"...for their mistake. Anyway, so I could barely get through the call from the collection agency before spinning my car around and heading to Public Storage myself. I planned on using my angry voice and piercing angry eyes to get my point across. I also planned on mentioning that one of the times I called to sort things out was on my HONEYMOON (I would raise my voice when I said that) and I was informed of the notices I was getting at home.

So I show up, barge in, and of course, lose all my angry confidence and start out very slow and calm. The gentleman helping me was in his fifties and some little dude next to him with his ear plugs in was probably in his early twenties (and also probably listening to Nickelback or something sensitive posing as angry. I don't know...). Anyway I start explaining what has happened and immediately I knew what this conversation would be like. He looked at me and thought, well, she's about my daughter's age, she probably has no idea what's going on...probably doesn't even know how money works! Well that's only partially true, I absolutely knew what was going on, but the money thing was pretty much on target...however, that is not the point! After I got through explaining everything he looked at me and just sighed and said, "and what's the problem again?" Seriously? So he looks it up in the computer and prints out my records and says, "maybe it'll help if you can look at this."

At this point I'm thinking, don't I somewhat resemble an adult? Even a little? Or are we working under the assumption that I'm going to go home and brush my Barbie's hair after this? Or maybe go grab the Leapfrog out of the car and learn my Spanish ABC's! If that's how this is, why aren't I talking to you in sentences that exclusively end in question marks, because it's probable that you're just going to go home and watch Jeopardy...or Wheel of Fortune...or whatever you watch! The point is I'm getting really frustrated and when I try to explain what he is not understanding, again, he stops and says, "well why don't you take a breath..." in the most condescending...stupid...annoying way...ever! Finally, the little dude steps in and explains to him what's going on and actually mans up to being the guy that helped me and made a few mistakes causing this "mishap" or whatever you want to call it. Being the rude, incouragable man he was, he then proceeded to look for something else that might be wrong so that he didn't look as incompetent as he did. When he couldn't find anything, he gave me some exacerbated response about what he was going to do and when he could get back to me on it.

After writing it down it doesn't sound as bad as it was. But, it was TOTALLY lame, I can assure you.

Really the point is (on top of the many other poignant points I've made) something that Rob has mentioned when I have had confrontations with a few people...the less important your job...the more power you want/try to enforce. It's true. And it's annoying. Sorry Public Storage, you have now been officially boycotted.