International symbol of I’M ABOUT TO GO CRAZY ON YOU.
Well, my planned weekend of prep for Eg*pt, answering 283 emails, etc. didn’t go quite as planned mainly due to the fact that MY AIR CONDITIONER BROKE AGAIN.
Also due to the fact that there was a little showdown in the lobby of my rental agency on Saturday morning when they wouldn’t give me an estimated time of when it would be fixed.
Now, I’m a pretty nice girl. My friends would tell you that I’m fairly pleasant, I like to joke around, etc. But after several days of living in a house that was reaching 96 degrees each afternoon WITH PUPPIES TRYING TO LIVE IN IT, I had had enough.
Mess with me all you want, BUT YOU DO NOT TOUCH THE PUPPIES.
I’ll spare you the details other than to say that, after the receptionist told me I would not be able to speak with my rental agent (even after I offered to wait as long as it would take), I may or may not have whipped out a couple of Bon Qui Qui statements right there in that lobby as well as reached up to take my earrings off (Cate once taught me that, if you’re serious about something, you take off your earrings because it’s the international symbol of I’M ABOUT TO GO CRAZY ON YOU).
I unfortunately didn’t have any earrings on, which may have explained why the receptionist didn’t seem too fazed by my reaching for my naked earlobes.
It was an ugly two hours that included my going to print off a copy of the Tennessee Residential Landlord Act and, upon returning with it, informing the receptionist that I was just going to “chill” in their lobby until someone could take the time to talk to me. Shockingly, no one came to talk to me because, hey, I’m only one of their customers, you know. No big deal at all.
And then the receptionist started talking smack to me.
So, I did the very thing that I least wanted to do because I kind of like being independent and all: I picked up my cellular device, looked up “Mom Cell” and proceeded to call my Hot Shot of a Realtor mother to see if she’d mind going to bat for me. She tried speaking to the lady as a mother, first, but then that lady started talking smack over the phone to my mama and I could hear it from where I was sitting in the lobby and I wanted to hold up a sign for the receptionist that said YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, MA’AM. YOU DO NOT KNOW.
And lo, my Hot Shot of a Realtor mother didn’t really like being spoken to in that manner. By this time I could actually hear my mother’s voice coming through the phone line and realized that, with one sentence, she was about to do the Realtor version of taking her earrings off over the phone:
“My name is —– ——-, my Realtor ID badge number is ———- and what is yours?”
I had a repairman to my house within an hour.
(But it’s broken again as of last night.)
(I don’t want to talk about it.)
Posted: June 29th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 16
Comments
Comment from Brandy T.
Time: June 29, 2009, 11:24 am
Gotta love those supermoms! We’re right there with you… our A/C has been going in and out for a week now. It’s so bloomin’ hot!!!!
Here’s hoping for cool air and cold iced tea for the both of us. Hm. Do you drink iced tea?
Comment from Christine
Time: June 29, 2009, 11:38 am
A real life Bon Qui Qui. My only wish is that I had been there to witness it.
Comment from Becky Jo
Time: June 29, 2009, 12:00 pm
I am still thinkin a video reenactment of the BonQuiQui scene would be GREAT blog fodder.
And, let me just tell you that this (future, maybe, really, really wanna be) MIL is ready to come rip THE RECEPTIONISTS earrings off.
Just sayin!
Comment from kaitlyn
Time: June 29, 2009, 12:32 pm
Amy Beth, I love you and the puppies. I want you be to cool and happy.
But I work as the answering service for very many rental agencies and I have to tell you the honest truth.
Your landlord doesn’t care. Everyone’s a/c is broken, he’s had a million people yell at him about this, and he just wants you to turn on a fan, shutup, and wait your turn.
Sigh. I know it’s mean. You live in TX, and it’s insanely hot, and you have puppies.
But that’s the other side of the coin for you.
Comment from SB
Time: June 29, 2009, 12:38 pm
I love Bon Qui Qui. Also, I was behind someone in the under 20 items line at Wal-Mart yesterday who had WAY more than 20 items. And I wanted to go Bon Qui Qui on her. But, I didn’t. Probably b/c they have A/C in Wal-Mart.
Comment from Amy Beth
Time: June 29, 2009, 12:39 pm
Hey, Kaitlyn!
I totally understand what you’re saying, but I actually live in TN and there’s a law in our state that says they have to provide “essential services” (which includes heat in the winter and AC in the summer) within 24 hours of my report that it’s out. It’s been a six day process now of trying to get them to fix it, so I don’t think it’s at all unreasonable for me to expect it to be fixed by now. 
Comment from Amanda
Time: June 29, 2009, 2:21 pm
Oh, that is miserable. Sorry.
Comment from Becca
Time: June 29, 2009, 3:21 pm
whoa broken air conditioning is just not right here in the south.
and i pretty much love bon qui qui – you crack me up!
Comment from Heather
Time: June 29, 2009, 3:53 pm
Ohhh Amy Beth. You crack me up, seriously. However, being hot IS NOT FUNNY. I am praying for you (and your rental agency). Love your enemies and all of that…hang in there.
Comment from Sheyna
Time: June 29, 2009, 4:11 pm
Oh bless your hot little heart! I HATE to be hot! I love the earring trick, I’d never heard of it till now but be sure I will be using it in the future. Hope you get some cool air blowing your way real soon!
Comment from k&c’s mom
Time: June 29, 2009, 5:15 pm
Oh, I hope that I am that hero to my adult children at times! You go, Mom! I know it is 110 degrees in Austin where I live (and miserable WITH A/C). I pray you get quick relief, Amy Beth and puppy!
Comment from Happy Geek
Time: June 29, 2009, 11:24 pm
No AC in the South?
I cannot even fathom it.
When this Canadian lived in TX , one time our AC went out. I called the housing department, they recognized my accent, felt pity on me and ha someone out within the hour. I would have DIED. Literally. Fried pasty-white Canadian.
So, I truly hope you and your puppies get relief for good soonest!
Comment from Brandy T.
Time: June 30, 2009, 3:24 am
Um. Side note. Can you give us some tips on how to do the side ponytail and NOT end up looking like Deb from Napolean Dynamite (http://rockthewristband.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/deb.jpg)??
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Comment from Krista
Time: June 30, 2009, 4:02 pm
I hope you get it fixed pronto and I also hope that you get to move soon! Big rental companies are horrid. We had our kitchen sink stopped up for a WEEK before we actually fixed it ourselves (including taking apart the garbage disposal) and they never even came to check on it. Good thing our sink had two sides, but still…
Comment from Arielle
Time: June 30, 2009, 8:18 pm
I have a feeling this is Hodnett. if not they are just as awful.
back to Home
Comment from Leslie Lauren
Time: June 29, 2009, 11:05 am
HAAAA!!! Busted out the mom card!!
And I’d completely forgotten the earring removal trick…VERY nice…will have to remember that the next time I have to get confrontational. I just had this conversation not too long ago with several people about the decline of good quality customer service. What on earth is our country coming to?!?!?!