It Takes a Village

 

It Takes a Village

It’s good to have friends in high places, or at least smart and willing to help their elderly friends. You may remember “Take my Money, Please” and “Take my Chairs, Please”. Here’s an ending to those episodes I was having no success contacting the local and, I think, low on the totem pole managers, so my friend, Alfredo suggested that I write a letter describing my experience with Box and Keg. My lament was that I wanted to return the hated chairs. He would find out to whom to send it.

He then enlisted his daughter to do the research – this is where the smart comes in. My friend, Alan, proofed the letter- and approved, Matt, another friend referred me to my dear friend, Debbie, who did more research and came up with email and snail mail addresses. So to work, I go. I’m tightening up the letter, however, I think you’ll get the gist...

First meeting with Box and Keg.

Mood – excited

Experience – young man tells me to send him photos of room and existing furniture.

Results – 1 week of being ghosted.

Second meeting with Box and Keg

Mood – hopeful

Experience – Young man wasn’t there and I was turned over to Trudy.

Results – An appointment was arranged for Trudy to come to my house.

Third meeting with Box and Keg

Mood – excited

Experience – Trudy brought rug samples and borrowed my tape measure.

Results – I chose a rug and set up a time to meet at the store.

Fourth meeting with Box and Keg

Mood – still enthused

Experience – Trudy is in a tizzy. She's working with a customer. And...I’m chopped liver? She turns me over to the same guy who had ghosted me and it was now his last day of employment. Trudy finishes with her “customer” and having prepared nothing, fumbles at the computer until I begged to leave.

Results – I buy the rug.

Fifth meeting with Box and Keg

Mood – depressed.

Experience – I was prepared to tell Trudy that I didn’t want to add to her stress and I would understand if she needed to refer me to another designer.

Results – Trudy never showed up, saving me the dreaded speech of dismissal. And I, desperately wanting to finish up the project, ordered chairs. The chairs came and I hated them!

Ending this whiny dissertation, I persevered and got my letter to right person and Box and Keg have agreed to take back the chairs and give me a store credit. Now, a fresh start with, hopefully, an experienced and caring designer who will help me achieve a TV room of comfort and style.

Mood – optimistic!

Speaking of optimistic – It looks as if Steph Curry will finish up his career with the Warriors!

Experience – Went to the store to meet Trudy, she’s in a flurry, waiting on a customer. And...I’m chopped liver? She turns me over to the same guy who had ghosted me and it was now his last day of employment. Trudy finishes with her “customer” and having prepared nothing, fumbles at the computer until I begged to buy the rug and leave.

D refer me tResults – I bough the rug

Fourth meeting with Box and Keg

Mood – depressed.

Experience – I was prepared to tell Trudy that I didn’t want to add to her stress and she could refer me to another designer.

Results - Trudy never showed up.