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Am I just crotchety and old fashioned?

xrac

By xrac
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DewayneP Contributor

DewayneP

Posted
Posted

No, you're not crotchety and old fashioned. That son of hers would have had a hand across the face in the "olden days" if he didn't stop what he was doing and offer Mom a hand. I know I've stopped what I was doing and driven several miles to help my Mom or Dad or In-Laws if they need help. Also, it doesn't matter if she didn't have money at that time, she could have said "what do I owe you, I don't have any money right now but I will get it to you". It's as much her fault as it is her son's. I've done that very thing a few times and have always been asked "what do I owe you" and I've always said "nothing". It goes toward customer relations, even though she is not a paying customer, she is using a service you provided. Who knows, maybe she'll remember your kindness and become your best customer?

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Gonzo Grand Master

Gonzo

Posted
Posted

Today I had a woman approached me at the service counter telling me she thought she was out of gas and di I have a gas can. The car was at the Sonic Drive-in which is next door. Of course I had a gas can and funnel available but no gas. There is a station about two blocks away. I was busy but thought it was too hot to have the woman (about 55) walk to the station, purchase gas and walk back to her car carrying the can. I took her to the gas station, she paid for the gas that I pumped. I brought it back to her car, pumped it into the car and we got the car started.

 

I then learned that while all of this was going on her grown son, his girlfriend and their two kids were feeding their faces at the Sonic where the car had been pushed when it ran out of gas. This grown son was doing nothing while momma fixed the problem.

 

I spent about 20 minutes of my time when I was busy working. I used my car, my gas, my gas can, and my funnel and all I got offered from the woman was a thanks. That was it. I got no offer of anything for my time or my gas or the use of my stuff. Now if the woman had asked me if she owed me anything or if she had offered me $10 or $20 for my efforts I would have politely declined. But my point is the way I grew up and was taught you would have ALWAYS asked if you owed anything or would have ALWAYS pulled out some money and offered. I basically supplied her with a $20-$30 roadside assistance call for free.

 

My gripe is a lazy son who would let his momma try to solve the problem while he did nothing. There is no way in the world I would have ever done that to my mother. My other gripe is the lack of courtesy and respect that was shown by not offering some compensation or asking. The woman had money because she had to get change to pay me for the gas and she was on her way to Wal-Mart.

 

Am I just crotchety and old fashioned? Should this have bothered me?

 

 

I know what it is..it's a medical condition. It's called Rude-nessinconsiderateta....... People like that are the type that think someone will always help them out... that's probably why the lazy bastard kept feeding his face instead of helping his mom. I think it's in the DNA makeup... some people have it, some don't... But you my friend, show great effort and courage... you should be knighted...

 

I'll bet if the situation came up again.... you'd do the same thing... and... If that lady had the situation come up again... she, would do the same thing too... go figure... the only cure I know for it is a good slap in the face... I'll help...

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lvroth Rookie

lvroth

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Posted

Today I had a woman approached me at the service counter telling me she thought she was out of gas and di I have a gas can. The car was at the Sonic Drive-in which is next door. Of course I had a gas can and funnel available but no gas. There is a station about two blocks away. I was busy but thought it was too hot to have the woman (about 55) walk to the station, purchase gas and walk back to her car carrying the can. I took her to the gas station, she paid for the gas that I pumped. I brought it back to her car, pumped it into the car and we got the car started.

 

I then learned that while all of this was going on her grown son, his girlfriend and their two kids were feeding their faces at the Sonic where the car had been pushed when it ran out of gas. This grown son was doing nothing while momma fixed the problem.

 

I spent about 20 minutes of my time when I was busy working. I used my car, my gas, my gas can, and my funnel and all I got offered from the woman was a thanks. That was it. I got no offer of anything for my time or my gas or the use of my stuff. Now if the woman had asked me if she owed me anything or if she had offered me $10 or $20 for my efforts I would have politely declined. But my point is the way I grew up and was taught you would have ALWAYS asked if you owed anything or would have ALWAYS pulled out some money and offered. I basically supplied her with a $20-$30 roadside assistance call for free.

 

My gripe is a lazy son who would let his momma try to solve the problem while he did nothing. There is no way in the world I would have ever done that to my mother. My other gripe is the lack of courtesy and respect that was shown by not offering some compensation or asking. The woman had money because she had to get change to pay me for the gas and she was on her way to Wal-Mart.

 

Am I just crotchety and old fashioned? Should this have bothered me?

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Gonzo Grand Master

Gonzo

Posted
Posted

Yes! I would do it again. I am the type of person that if you let me borrow your truck I will leave more gas in it when I am done with it then when I borrowed it. That is just they way that my poor, Kentucky, farm family taught me.

 

 

Great, ya need a truck for the weekend... mine is out of gas... sure would appreciate it... LOL

 

(I kinda figured you as that type... nice to know I'm not alone in the world...)

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lvroth Rookie

lvroth

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Absolutely not...unless being thankful and appreciative is also old fashioned!!

You just witnessed, what a society filled with individuals, who have grown up with an entitlement mentality will look like...not pretty!

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Autoshop Solutions Apprentice

Autoshop Solutions

Posted
Posted

Dear Crotchety,

 

As I have faced the same situation many times, and felt the exact same as you I can say that you are justified for feeling the way you do. When you volunteer to help someone, most of us are happy to help and don't need the "Thank You" at the end. But when someone walks into your business asking for help and you go out of your way and get left with nothing, it's certainly a let down.

 

Do us all a favor, don't change a thing. You are a credit to our industry, and your reward for your selfless, and sometimes "thank-less" giving will come in other forms.

 

Happy Friday!

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Gonzo Grand Master

Gonzo

Posted
Posted

It is the parents' fault for not teaching their kids. Can you imagine what the grandchildren will be like?

 

 

Geez, got a story on that subject... called "runs in the family" I might post that one next... LOL

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  • 1 month later...
RickM Apprentice

RickM

Posted
Posted

I had a similar experience just a few hours ago. A Ford Expedition with the doors locked and a very small child inside. The lady called the police but when an officer arrived he told her they were not allowed to unlock vehicles and if worse came to worse he would break a window but that he knew I unlocked cars and would call me and see if I could unlock it. Needless to say I dropped what I was doing and went to unlock the vehicle. While I wass unlocking the car I heard the lady thank the officer for trying and for calling me, but when I got the car unlocked the lady never had a thanks or how much for me. Like xrac I wouldnt have accepted, I did it for the child not the lady but my poor Kentucky family didnt raise me that way either.

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Gonzo Grand Master

Gonzo

Posted
Posted

My daughter (Katie) who runs my office had one yesterday... this one is going to end up being a story for sure.

 

A lady calls and wants to know if we can work on a VW "Pass-it" because she is having a shortage in it that the dealer looked at and said it was her ECM control module (she said it just like that).

 

Katie told her that we would need to diagnose it... which put this lady in a rage because she would have to pay more money to have her car looked at again. The lady (and I use that term loosely) Started calling her "bitch" and "F-in" this and "F-in" that.

 

Katie ... after quite a long converstation, trying to reason with her.... and had given up....told the lady that she was not welcomed at out shop and that she should take her problem back to the dealership.

 

At that point the phone is at arms length and this lady is still going off... about then a regular customer that was standing at the counter waiting for her turn was backing up against the far wall... totally shocked at the loud profanity coming from the phone.

 

As Katie was hanging the phone up the lady was still screaming... "I'll bet your husband is out screwin around on your ragedy a$$.... CLICK..."

 

The nerve of some people... Katie did the right thing hanging up on her... no respect at all...

You know, there isn't a mental evaluation given when handing out drivers liscences... there should be... Gonzo

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