Monday, June 7, 2010

Dirty Laundry

We've been without a working washing machine here for a month. Four weeks of not being able to wash clothes, towels or sheets. And have I mentioned that we cloth diaper? We switched to disposables for the time being and are dealing with rashes and stinky trash. It's not been fun.

When we first noticed the problem with the washing machine, Chris took it apart and thought he could fix it. I had my doubts, but he ordered the part and we waited a week for it to come in. Then he realized he couldn't get the part on right. I scheduled an appointment with Sears and four days later the man came. Then we found out there were actually several things wrong with the machine and we had to order parts. The parts didn't come in time for the June 1 repair appointment and they told me they couldn't schedule the appointment until today, a week later. They were to be here between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. The morning dragged on with us sticking around the house waiting for them to get here until finally the phone rang at 11:45 saying they would be two hours late. Uh, what? Nope that wasn't going to work.

Which is how I found myself on the phone with customer "care" explaining how unacceptable the situation was and asking what we could do to make the situation right. I had to use my no-nonsense voice and speak in short, direct sentences. I got what I wanted (the first appointment tomorrow morning), but I also left the conversation with a strange feeling of unease. I don't like being harsh to another person and I'm fully aware the person on the other end of the phone wasn't personally withholding my washing machine repair. Still, I had to get a little insistent to get what I wanted and I don't like who I was in that moment.

However, if I would have just gone with the flow, I would be another week without a washing machine and that's just not acceptable. In the end, I think I did the right thing and soon I'll have clean clothes again.

1 comment:

deleted profile said...

I been reading your blog and I really like it.
p.s.
Your baby is so cute.