On Hold

Whilst driving on the freeway a few months ago, a rock flew up and hit my windshield and I ended up with a small rock chip. Bummer. I filed it away under my mental list of things to get done. Every once in a while, I'd notice the rock chip and refile it on that mental list. Here's the thing about mental lists: they usually don't get done. It's kind of like writing a grocery list in your mind, going to the store, and expecting to remember everything you need. It doesn't really happen. You're bound to come home and realize you forgot something important.

Fast forward to last week. I was getting a top off on my engine fluids before making a long drive. One employee came out of the office area and was talking to the other employees. I could tell by the way he wasn't working that he must be some sort of manager. He came over to my window and starting talking with me--small talk mostly, but he was nice enough that it was ok. He told the guys on the crew to clean my windows and check my tires, which they usually don't do when I just need a top off. The crew had finished with my car and the manager asked if there was anything else I needed. I smiled and said no, but then he asked if I had any rock chips. My mind opened that file and found that mental list. Yes! I do have this little one right here!

I asked the manager how much it would cost to get it fixed. I can only assume that paying to fix a rock chip is cheaper than paying for a big crack in my windshield. But money is tight, and I didn't really have funds to pay for it. The manager noticed my concern and assured me that my insurance would probably pay for it. Then, he said if my insurance wouldn't cover the repair, he'd just do it for free anyway! Nothing is cheaper than free, so I finally got my rock chip repaired. We filled out some paperwork with insurance information and I was on my way.

A few days ago, I got a phone call from the company that did the rock chip repair on my windshield. The representative on the phone asked if we could get my insurance company in on a three-way call so we could file the claim, or whatever insurance jargon you use to explain that... A few minutes later, we were talking with a fellow from the insurance company. He asked questions, and the representative gave most of the answers. As he was looking up my information in the database, he was having trouble finding what he was looking for, so he asked if he could put me and the representative on hold for a few minutes. No problem. Cue annoying elevator music.

I was just sitting and waiting when the representative from the rock chip repair company started talking. The first thing she said was, "Would you mind sitting here for a minute? I have to pee really bad!" I was pretty confused. I mean, that's terminology you use with your sister or roommate, not with a client over the phone! But I said ok, sure. That's fine. But then, she continued talking! It was at this point that I realized that not only was she not talking to me, but she clearly was unaware that I could hear everything she was saying.

"I've had to go for the longest time, but the door was closed and the light was off. When I knocked, they just said 'Go away.' I really have to pee! I think I'm gonna explode!"

I didn't really know what to say, so I just waited. Soon, she came back and said she didn't know how long the fellow from the insurance company would take and asked if she could just call me back if there was some other information they needed from me. I think what she really meant is "I need a bathroom break and this insurance guy is taking forever. Can I call you back?" But she doesn't know I know that.

You know, one of the first things she said to me was that the call would be "monitored for quality assurance." For her sake, I kind of hope no one ever hears that.