A Frustrating Day

A Frustrating Day--


Ever have a frustrating day?  Of course you have.  We all have those days when not much goes according to plan.  Today I won the prize.  The most frustrating day in awhile.  It actually started four days ago.

Four days ago we realized we had no hot water.  Not a real surprise as the hot water heater is 41 years old.  I guess it simply got tired of doing the same boring job day after day after day.  I know I certainly would.

We went to a store and purchased a new one.  We knew it could not be installed due to the long holiday weekend.  That was expected.  The clerk told us we would be on the top of the list to have it installed Tuesday when the holiday weekend ended.  Having a hot tub turned out to be a real blessing.  At least we could sit in water!  Washing hair in very cold water closes up those pores in the head.  But the hair did get clean.

Tuesday arrived.  The hot water heater would be installed early.  Well, maybe not.  Maybe mid-morning.  Well, maybe not.  Early afternoon?   Well, maybe not.  You get my drift.  After a few phone calls that were not answered to our liking, we decided to return to the store and visit with the manager about the non-events of the day.

First, let me assure you, we were nice.   More is accomplished with a touch of grace than with anger when things go so wrong.  We took a timeline with us to share with the one in charge.  We sat at a patio set.  Our main challenge was the lack of communication.  Phone calls not returned.  Promises made that were not honored.  The conversation took about twenty minutes.

The manager agreed with us that things had been handled badly.  At the next meeting of all the associates communication would be addressed.  We were thanked for bringing the events of the four days to her attention.  She even took a sizable sum off the purchase price of the hot water heater.  That came as a surprise as we had never given a thought to anything like that.  Our purpose in the visit was to explain from a customer's point of view what had happened.  We felt like we should do that face to face.

The hot water heater is to be installed in the morning.  I will believe it when the plumber arrives and begins work.

It has been a frustrating few days.  Other things added to the frustration.  I won't bore you with the details.

Maybe it is the fact that one frustration piled up on another that made the day seem endless.  Seems like when things begin to go south, everything makes the decision to jump on that wagon.  Try as you might, the direction is already determined.  You ain't stoppin it!

Tomorrow is a new day.  A new beginning.  Today's stuff will be a memory.  I will have a blank page to fill with whatever I want.  I am looking forward to that.

But, most of all I am looking forward to the return of a grateful spirit.  This was nothing.  Simply an inconvenience.  So much to learn....