Trip to the tire shop

The brakes on our Jet White (our huge Dodge Sprinter) have seemed spongy at times lately. Last Saturday I took it in the Les Schwab to be looked at. The checked and found that some fluid was leaking through in the master cylinder. The needed part was not on hand, but they would order it. It would be in on Tuesday, so I made an appointment. 10 Tuesday morning.

I took Tuesday morning off, and I was at the shop a bit before 10. For most people, an employee runs out the greet customers in the parking lot when they get out of their cars. They don't do that for me. I went into the shop and a lady behind the desk asked what I needed. I told her I had an appointment at 10. She found me on the schedule and called back to the shop to let them know I was there with the van.

I sat down and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited...


Jet White was right outside the window I was staring out of. It wasn't going anywhere. At 11, an hour after my appointment time, our van was still sitting there, unmoved. I went up and told the lady behind the desk that my van was still sitting in the parking lot, even though I had a 10 o'clock appointment. She called the shop. I overheard her say "I told you guys it was here!"

An hour and a half later the van was done.

I was irritated.

I probably should have gone up to the desk sooner, but I thought maybe they were backed up. I am surprised that none of the employees why our Sprinter was sitting out front for so long.

I tried to explain to the guy at the desk when I paid that I was upset, that I had a 10 o'clock appointment and that the van was not taken back until after 11. I was flustered, the words were not coming out clear, and he was not getting why I was upset. All I got was a canned "Sometimes it takes awhile..."

I get the feeling sometimes that my time is not valued as highly as a non-disabled person, an assumption that since I am disabled, I must not work, so I can wait longer than someone else who is not disabled and who does work.

I do work. I don't like to take more time off work than I need to. I am a cog in the wheel...I need to be there.

I have done business with Les Schwab for many years. I will probably continue to go there. I did not see the faces there this time that I use to see there.

Not much I can do about it...just frustrating.