"service" -- the dirtiest of words

The third problem.

With the car safely packed up on her way to Markham I settled into a robust hour of work. Assuming an hour would be more than enough time for Team CAA/Mercedes to tow and book the car in, I took a break to connect with the no-doubt thoughtful Mercedes rep who had been assigned to her care.

Voicemail.  They are tragically sorry to have missed my call because it's so important.  I leave a polite but direct message asking for a return call.

Assuming all the MP busy attending to the mercedes, went back to work. Took another break an hour later to get the update on when I could pick up my car.  starting to feel much better about my chances for improved productivity today.

Excellent. Got a real person at the service reception desk who informed me that the car had not yet been checked in. Oddly she did not appear to find this strange or, say, unacceptable.  Transferred me to service rep who could (and I quote) help. Jeff, however, was seemingly not in a helpful mood. He explained with great patient sighs (I presume to help me understand the stress and difficulties of the car service business) that he couldn't possibly look at my car before the weekend. Furthermore, he could not possibly understand how I could think that he would have, given how busy they are ........ i must have misunderstood what they told me. i must be confused.

I therefore clarified for Jeff that I was not, in fact, having spoken with no less than 3 dealerships and 2 people in the mercedes service call centre that very morning, confused. Hung up and dug into large bag of chocolate chips for comfort. At precise moment of hang up received ill-timed text from husband, asking if there was any word on the car.

Haven't lost my usual level of equilibrium, immediately sent him 12 texts in quick succession. Reading between the bad grammar, poor autocorrect, and multiple curse words, Paul ascertained I wanted the name of somebody at mercedes who might be a little more helpful than jeff. (note: Paul's ad agency manages the mercedes account, so not an entirely unreasonable question).

Husband doesn't know anyone in service. Suggests calling the mercedes sales department and using the name of the marketing VP, "Jody somebody or other" (note to self for future use in other such situations). Take a moment to marvel to myself at the fact that Mercedes could possibly have hired a woman to manage sales. Girlpower. Call Jody. Get Jody's vm and discover that Jody is, in fact, a man. All is right with the world again.

Leave excessively long and pleading message on Jody's vm. (now I'm really out of my comfort zone....) I mention (casually) that my husband works with their marketing head and suggested we give Jody a call (of course was sufficiently vague about both what my husband does, what his relationship is with Gavin or Mercedes, but might have made it sound like we are all good friends). Beg for help. Point out that I towed car (at my own expense) to his dealership because I had been told they would see my car. Also threw in that I needed my car for the weekend and, for good measure, that it's a mercedes after all, so it seems that the ignition shouldn't just fall out. Decided against adding fuel to the proverbial fire by pointing out that my last mercedes lit my ass on on fire when the seat warmer burned through the seat.....but that's a separate rant....

Go back to work and powering through chocolate chips.  Phone rings half an hour later and, to my delight, call display informs me it's Jody! Jody apologizes for missing my call earlier -- what??????.  Furthermore, Jody lets me know he's not sure what's up with the car, but has arranged for the head mechanic and the foreman to go out with him and "take a look". He promises to call me back in half an hour with news.

In twenty minutes he phones back. (he and Jeff may have graduated from different schools of service....).

Picked up car thursday night. (no offense, but Markham is very far away.....)