The temperature is only supposed to be in the mid-90’s today. Woo hoo! The dogs have had their walk; I’ve had my coffee and read my paper. Life is good. About darn time! And yes, I am kidding. It’s strange though, how it’s the small things in life that can make our life good or bad.
Last week ago my life was bad. Beeping bad. My security alarm battery went low on a Tuesday evening at 10:30. I knew this because my system to start to be beep incessantly and because my security company was kind enough to call me with a recorded message telling me this – just in case I didn’t hear the beep-beep-beep that echoed through the house. Naturally wanting the blessed beeping to stop, I called the security company back. I listened to my options, although they were hard to hear through the beep-beep-beep. Option 1 – did I want to buy a security system? Nope, got one and not necessarily happy having it right now. Option 2 – was my alarm system going off? No, but I couldn’t help wondering if it were, why wouldn’t that be considered more important than me buying a system? The beeping beeped out options 3 & 4 but I held on and finally got a real person who asked what I wanted. Yea!
“I want to stop the beeping.”
“It’s beeping because your batter is low.”
“I realize that and I will get one but it’s 10:30 at night and I need the beeping to stop so the dogs and I can go to sleep.”
“Certainly, ma’am. Enter your code into the system and the beeping will stop for a few hours.”
Need I say that this was not what I wanted to hear at this beeping point in time? Or that our conversation went around in circles with her saying I need a new battery installed and then the beeping would stop.
“Great – then send the serviceman, please.” Note that I was still minding my manners.
“Certainly. I have an opening for next Monday.”
This was a Tuesday night. Next Monday was, hum, six beeping days later? No beeping way I could wait that long!
I decided the next morning after a night of getting up every two hours that it was time to get firm with the security company. After all, they work for me, right? I’m paying them. Makes sense to me. I called Wednesday morning and requested that a service man be sent that day. If not, then I would discontinue my service. The lady on the other end of the phone knew I was serious because after she said they couldn’t any one out until Friday, she transferred me to customer service to have my service disconnected. Thoroughly angered now, I thought fine. I don’t need their darn old security system anyway. However, my sense of empowerment waned when I heard “We will discontinue your service for you, ma’am but you will still need to get a new battery or the beeping will continue.”
Guess you can see where it is going. Yes, they won the battle. Yes, I finally got my original scheduled service man to come on the following Monday. Yes, I kept the service because I can’t afford to install a new system.
But I won the battle too though. I stopped the beeping, not them. Any guy reading this won’t get it but you gals will. Unplugging the battery was simple but the big metal box that housed it was intimidating with all of its locks, screws and maze of wires. Years ago I rewired a lamp. When I plugged it in, sparks flew out the outlet, I got a new hairdo, and the entire apartment complex went dark. Needless to say, I am afraid of electricity. The beeping forced me to face my fear and empowered me to unplug that battery. Who’s the real winner in this story? Yep. Me.
P.S. However, if I ever win the lottery, you betcha I’ll fire their … and with pleasure.
