On Monday afternoon, I happened to bump into someone working on air conditioning in our condo building who asked if he could come see the pipes in our unit as it might help him to better understand the layout of the pipes in the unit he was working on. I told him he could come at 9:00 Tuesday morning, and that he would have to be out at 9:20. He asked if he could come between 8:00 and 8:30 instead, and I repeated -- firmly, but with a smile -- that he could come at 9. He agreed.
Afterwards, I felt a bit guilty. Surely, if I had been more Audrey-like in my attitude, I would have happily told him that he could come at 8:00 a.m. Even though Audrey would have had to get up extra early to better accommodate the stranger who had nothing to do with work on her unit, surely she would have done it. 
She probably would have invited the worker in for coffee too. Or maybe tea -- with croissants, or scones perhaps. Maybe she would have made the scones herself. And maybe, after breakfast, she would have made plans to go dancing with him on a barge that evening -- like Audrey did with the barber who cut her hair in Roman Holiday.
She probably would have invited the worker in for coffee too. Or maybe tea -- with croissants, or scones perhaps. Maybe she would have made the scones herself. And maybe, after breakfast, she would have made plans to go dancing with him on a barge that evening -- like Audrey did with the barber who cut her hair in Roman Holiday. So when Tuesday morning came, I decided to try to make up for my failure by being cheery. I saw to it that I was ready and waiting for the worker at 9 a.m. I made extra coffee too.
But he didn't show up. He didn't show up at 9:05 or 9:10 or 9:15 either. I waited through 9:20 and 9:25...and then I left.
And although the worker is the one who failed to show, I was the one who felt guilty. If only I had been warmer and sweeter and more accommodating, surely he would have come.
Today, I saw him in the hallway again. I told him, somewhat accusingly, that I had waited for him yesterday and that he had failed to show. He looked slightly embarrassed, but didn't apologize. Nonetheless, I invited him in, right away, to look at my air conditioning unit.
Looking at the unit, he commented that my air conditioning pipes looked fine but that the news was not so good for the other owner in the building.
Then he pointed out that my air conditioner was dripping and that it looked like the condensate line needed some attention. He pointed to a sticker on the unit, and told me I'd better call the emergency number.
In other words, although he was an air conditioning man himself and already there, standing in my home, he did not offer to fix the problem.
And I knew that if I had been Audrey, or more Audrey-like, he would have fixed it because we would be fast friends by now. We would have had breakfast together yesterday and laughed about current events or the interesting life of an air conditioner repairman. And he would have kindly fixed my air conditioner, and then we would have made plans to dance on a barge. And Tom wouldn't have minded too much, because at least it would have saved us the $340.20 I ended up paying the repairman who I had to call today.
All I can say now is that Audrey's attitude lessons seem pretty harsh for someone who seems so sweet.
1 comment:
I don't know -- I don't think even Audrey would have been able to charm this bozo. I can't believe the guy didn't offer to fix your a/c! yeesh.
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