if patience is a virtue...

... i should be the world's most virtuous woman.

right.

so, like 2 1/2 weeks ago, we contracted this company to dig a water line for us so we could have water for the animals in the winter. simple enough, right? in fact, we told them we needed it done by the 21st of october, because we were going on vacation. no problem, they told us.

well, the fact that he told me to call the digger's hotline should have been my first clue that he wasn't going to be very reliable or responsible. the diggers hotline was called, and they said they'd be there the next week. well, the next week came and went, and i called asking where they were. i was told it would definitely be the next week; for sure. the next week... same thing. in fact, the ten days went up for the digger's hotline, because they didn't make it out on the day they said they would. so they called and said it would be the next week. but i had to re-open the ticket, so it was another three days. so they said they'd come on thursday. thursday came and by 11 am, when no one was there yet, i called. the lazy and bored receptionist told me (in a tone that told me she could have cared less) that she'd call the guy and he'd check his schedule. he finally called me at 1pm. he informs me that they aren't going to get there today, because he just finished digging someone else's well (as if i'm supposed to be pleased with this information). then he shocks me by asking if i wouldn't mind waiting until monday to have the water line dug (we're leaving for vacation on wednesday morning), and then goes on to lay a guilt trip on me by saying that someone else is without water. i told him that i was sorry, but i couldn't wait until monday (hello, look at your track record buddy), and that i really needed it done friday.

guess who doesn't show up friday? he doesn't even call, even after i leave 2 messages. i called again to day, and he still didn't call back. now, of course, its too late to even hire someone else. i really hate businesses that take advantage of the fact that they are the only one around who does something, so they don't care about how they treat their customers.

obviously, he is one of those passive-aggressive people who tell people what they want to hear, even if they have no intention of doing it. he was planning all along on doing that guys water line on friday, but tried to ask me in such a way that of course i would be obliged to say that he should do the other guy's line first. he obviously wasn't counting on me saying i needed it done on friday. not that i was being selfish, but i couldn't afford to have him call on monday saying he couldn't do it, and then do the same on tuesday!

i guess there's nothing i can do about it, really. its not like if i think about it hard enough he'll show up. but it gets frustrating. it would be nice to deal with someone who actually does what they say they'll do.

maybe i'll keep promising to pay him but never quite get around to it. guess we'll see what happens monday.

so... i guess at this point we just have to wait until monday to see if he decides to show up.