Late Breaking News: The Hostage Crisis is Over

After 8 LOOOOONGGGG weeks, that included hours and hours of negotiation (last estimate around 5 1/2 hours), the hostage crisis is finally over. The hostage takers have received their ransom and the weary hostages have been freed.

It only took 3 more phone calls after the new dishwasher was delivered on Monday. I finally called corporate on Thursday and asked to speak to someone about a compliant. They abruptly transferred me to someone else. Complaint Connie answered and I began to tell her my tale of woe. I was polite (as I have been through out this entire mess) but I was giving some detail. Sorry but "Yeah, like, someone came to fix my dishwasher 8 weeks ago and, like, its totally still not fixed" doesn't even begin to cover what I have been through with these people. But at the same time I wasn't overly verbose.

"The first guy came out on August 2nd. I remember it well because I was wearing my really cute khaki capri's with that cute little black shirt and it was a really good hair day..."

I think I hit a pretty good middle ground, just enough detail to get my point across. But apparently it was all just a little too overwhelming for Complaint Connie because she interrupted me and to ask:

"Maam, what's this about?"

Are you freaking kidding me???????????????

As I said, I have been very polite through out this entire ordeal but this woman sent me over the edge.

"What's this about? What's this about? I'm trying to tell you what this is about until you interrupted me. If you will let me finish I will tell you what this is about. Are you not even listening to me?"

"Maam, do you need your dishwasher repaired."

ARRGGGG!!!!

Me in a not so nice tone: "Again, if you will let me finish telling you what the problem is you will find out what this is about."

And I finished the story, amazingly enough without further interruption.

"So you need your dishwasher installed?"

"I either need my dishwasher installed or you need to send someone to haul this thing away and give me a refund."

Compliant Connie wanted to talk to the store manager.

Fine.

A couple of minutes later she has the store's operations manager on the phone for a conference call.

The store manager suggests they install the dishwasher. I say this is fine. She then asks me if I paid for an installation. I told her that I paid for the installation with the first dishwasher. This seems to appease her. She set it up for Monday.

"That's fine" I said "But I am telling you right now, the installer better have everything he needs because if he shows up and leaves without installing this dishwasher then he better haul it out with him and you will give me a refund."

"Did you buy an installation kit?"

"I did with the first one but not this one. When they hauled the old one away they only left a hose and an electric cord. I know it needs an elbow. So I'm telling you that he better have everything or he WILL take it with him."

Its hard to decide what was the worst part of this call. Was it the complete rudeness of Complaint Connie or the way they both of treated me like I was some unreasonable witch for having the audacity to think I should have a working dishwasher after 8 weeks and $191 later.

To my surprise the installer called last night asking if he could install it today. I told him he could but he better make sure he had all the parts.

Today, a little after noon, there was knock on the door and when I opened it I found to my utter surprise-- Mike the Plumber/Contractor.

I almost shut the door in his face. Talk about Deja vu.

But hostage weary me let him in and he quickly set about connecting my dishwasher. I guess he hadn't been to any wineries or even breweries because there was no mention of alcohol eagerly waiting for him in his truck this time. I also noticed that he had an entirely different elbow connector than I had bought at Home Depot. Soon he was done and on his way.

This was my kitchen counter this afternoon after lunch:

And this was my counter about an hour later.

And this is what I have waited 8 weeks for. A working dishwasher. Lets see how long it lasts.