Val’s Life

The proper way to throw a fit

I’ve had three incidents recently that required, well, some complaining, if not someone deserving to have their head roll. You may think that’s a bit dramatic, but I’m the type of person who likes justice and fairness and for things to go the way they are supposed to.

We bought some family passes to the pool in May. I also signed up for a water aerobics course, thinking it would be good exercise for me when it is too hot to walk outside. Well, the first issue is that the passes we got get swiped every time we go to the pool. Last week, during a day at the pool, the kid swiping my cards told me that one of them was completely used up (five passes on each card) and that another card only had one left on it. I insist that this is impossible since that day was only the third time we have been to the pool. We should have used nine out of a total of twenty passes. The kids tries to tell me that the computer isn’t wrong, and they can’t look it up because if they swipe the card again, it takes off another use. She then proceeds to tell me that the only way to look it up is to go to the city office where I bought them and have them straighten it out. So, I get all my cards back and the next day, go to the city office. During lunch time, so the “regular” person is out, and gosh, wouldn’t ya know it, nary a manager in sight, they are all AT THE POOL because of a special event going there. Are you beginning to sense my frustration? The gal working the counter insists that there is no way for her to look it up, and they have to do that at the pool! Steaming by now. She gives me the manager’s card and suggest I call him later. Ok, I will do that.

Monday morning arrives, I get up early to attend the water aerobics class which begins at 8:00 a.m. Show up at the pool, and curiously, there are very few cars in the parking lot. Hmmm… something is off here. Go into the pool, where some other kid comes up to me, “Can I help you ma’am?”. Yes, I’m here for the water aerobics class. “I don’t think we have that” he says. Takes me to another kid, who says the class has been canceled. So…..why wasn’t I notified? And where the heck is my refund!!! So, another trip back up to the city office that day, which is fine, since I haven’t resolved the passes issue yet either.

Show up at the office, and lo and behold, the manager I need to talk to is right there at the window. YAY! Something finally going right? I launch into my explanation of all my troubles, calm at this point. Right off the bat, he is kind, apologetic, and understanding. Yes, the water aerobics got canceled. Terribly sorry you weren’t notified, we didn’t have enough people sign up for it. Some kind of miscommunication between our office and the pool. On to the pool pass issue. Hmmm……..we don’t know what went wrong, but we will fix it. Ended up getting 10 free passes without asking for it. And got a refund on the class. And I never got snippy or ugly about it.

I guess that’s my point. When you feel like you have been mistreated and heads must roll, start off nice. You will usually get what you want. Your kids see how you behave. Don’t you want to set that kind of example?