In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson
In the interest of avoiding embarrassment (or legal issues)I shall avoid getting into too many specifics or naming names.
There is a car dealership here in Fort Myers. It’s a very large, very popular establishment, and a popular place to do business. As a matter of fact, I purchased four cars there.
They had a large clean and airy waiting room with a great coffee, and if you timed it right, you could be there for the lunch they served patrons.
A humongous bulletin board was strategically positioned smack dab between the waiting room and the show room. This ostentatious display was thick with letters of praise from past and present customers.
Hand-written or typed, the content was consistent: This wonderful and conscientious dealership went above and beyond the call of duty, and was second to none. Now here’s the thing;
In the past I always avoided having my car serviced at dealerships. I felt that dealership service departments were notorious for overcharging, while providing mediocre service. After doing business with these guys, that opinion went out the window and I was glad to give them my patronage.
This dealership was enormously successful and continued to prosper. Allow me to illustrate how much they grew: Their main building was dedicated to marketing and servicing automobiles; A separate building next door was strictly for trucks; Across the street was a dealership devoted to “pre-owned”(a comfortable euphemism for “used” cars, or vehicles that were someone else’s problem). And next to that was an enormous AAA office.
Yes sir, the place evolved into a genuine empire.
Alas, 
In time two things occurred that changed this happy status quo forever:
One: The dealership was sold off to some humongous conglomerate, which altered the whole dynamic.
Two: Instead of purchasing a brand-new sedan(as usual), I took a short jaunt across the street, and opted for a pre-owned SUV. It was my first SUV.
“Certified pre-owned,” my ass.
You never know what you’re gonna get…
I chose a beautiful SUV, which, on the surface, seemed like a great deal; low-mileage, mint condition, and reasonably priced.
As it turned out, the headlights never worked properly. That’s right. The freakin’ HEADLIGHTS.
I don’t think it makes me a psycho renegade when I demand the headlights on my newly purchased vehicle to function properly. The running lights didn’t work, and the automatic on/off feature was nonexistent.
When I brought it in for service, their verdict was that it was the fault of the previous owner. Evidently, he did some ‘after market’ thing to it that screwed up the headlight function. So no matter what, they weren’t going to do anything about it. Plus, to add insult to injury, the damn thing didn’t even have a cargo cover. Their excuse: It didn’t have one when it was traded in. Their verdict: It sucks to be you.
Okay, they didn’t exactly say the “sucks” thing but if you read between the lines, that was the message. I was grasping at anything, “What about all those cars and all that business I did with you in the past? Does that count for anything?”
“That was the old dealership, and of no concern to us.”
What a gyp.
Like a good, unbalanced alky I whipped myself into a deranged, mouth-foaming fury. I looked in the bathroom mirror ( my most profound thinking occurs in the bathroom) and made a solemn resolution with that I would never ever, under any circumstances conduct any business with those pirates again. No way. No how. No sir. Fugettabowdit.
Interestingly, this new establishment no longer has the letter laden bulletin board on display. Probably because pissed off, disappointed patrons don’t bother with letters of appreciation. ‘Royally boned on wheels’ should have been the name of the new dealership.
ANYWAY:
In my efforts to avoid those…people, anytime I needed service, I went out of my way to have the work performed elsewhere (I’ll show those bastards!).
After a couple of years of that, I received a colorful, glossy notice from the dealership:
“We miss your business! In our efforts to get you back, we are offering a complimentary oil change featuring our premium synthetic oil. Plus our exclusive twelve-point check up, plus two windshield wipers at $1 each.”
Uh huh. Once bitten, twice shy.
I called them up to ensure this thing was on the level, and not some underhanded bait-and-switch ploy. They assured me it was legitimate, so I made an appointment.
Yup.
In the end, Mister Iron-willed-Righteous-Crusader folded like a cheap card table. As I drove to my appointment I shook my head and chuckled at myself, “Fisher, you are such a wiener.”
I got the full service and a pair of wipers, and the whole thing cost me a couple of bucks. That beats a stick in the eye any old day.
It wasn’t very long after that when my car became a casualty of hurricane Ian. With the insurance proceeds, I ended up with a brand new vehicle…a different make and model. This one is a crossover, and guess what…the headlights work.
After a while, I started getting those notices again. Just for the hell of it, I gave them a call. I already knew their answer, but I just had to mess with them one more time, “Hey, I now have a new ride that happens to be a different make. Do I still qualify for that special?”
There was a long pause (I was under the impression the lady on the other end couldn’t quite believe my chutzpah to actually ask), “Uh…no.”
I had the distinct impression that If she was a cartoon, the ‘thought balloon’ hovering over her head would say something like, “Do they allow this guy out of the house without adult supervision?”
Since that was the case, I just had to air my indignation one more time: I told her that their dealership used to be good, but was now corrupt, rotten, and heartless, and that I would never buy so much as a pack of gum from those hacks, and by the way, I’d appreciate it if they took me off their mailing list, and quit polluting my mail box with their propaganda. Oh, and by the way, have a nice day.
After that snotty retort, her thought bubble probably looked something like:
Evidently, no one was impressed with all those years of faithfulness, and all that money I spent there. I am now doing business with a completely different dealership.
I felt like the guy who lost ten thousand dollars at the roulette table, only to steal four hundred Sweet & Lows in an effort to get even.
HERE’S THE TAKEAWAY
Who knows?
Maybe it’s just a matter of time before this new dealership pushes me over the edge, too
(I’m already operating close to that edge as it is).
When it comes to controlling the actions of other people and how they conduct business and treat others, that’s way beyond my purview. All I can really do is placate myself with the conviction that Karma has a short turnaround time. They’ll get theirs.
Hey. I don’t think it necessarily makes me an evil person because I’m not willing to run around and forgive everyone who screws me over. Even if I do manage to grudgingly forgive, I sure as hell won’t forget.
As someone who’s trying to live a positive, spiritual life, he only thing left for me to do is give someone a wide berth. Move on, stay away…and write a scathing online review.
That’s me. Mister Spiritual.
