The Scooter Fairy

Today is kind of a crunch day, scooter-wise. I've made this ultimatum in my head that if they haven't gotten the frame and started working on it today, that the deal crumbles and I start pushing for my money back.

So, naturally, I'm afraid to call them. Right now I'm living in this undeserved "trust bubble". Pretending that they're doing what they're supposed to be doing, what they promised they'd do. I'm pretending that if I click my heels together three times, a bright ruby scooter will appear before my very eyes, ready to take me home.

I dread stopping by on my way home. I dread the sinking feeling I'll get if they've got another excuse why they haven't started. For a cynic, I've got a whole lot of optimism tied up in this venture.

My friends think I'm nuts. Everyone's telling me to just get my money back.

But I just squeeze my eyes shut really tight, hold my breath, and clap my hands.

I do believe in the scooter fairy! I do! I do, I do, I do!

They won't let me down again, will they? Of course not. There is a finite amount of sucky service that your conscience allows you to provide to a patient customer, and I believe in the power of guilt. I must. It's all I have.

Well, that and fact that the law is on my side. Whatever that's worth.

The moment of truth approaches.

I stopped by the store on my way home. The owner is there alone. He starts apologizing immediately for the manager not calling me back. I tell him that's just part of it, and explain my story to him. This is his first time hearing it from me. He is sorry. He asks what he can do to make it right. And we get into the replacement scooter. He asks if getting a blue frame is important to me. I tell him I don't care about the colour, I just want a large frame. He says, "great, we'll give you this black one we have".

Perfect. I don't have to look like I'm biting Bates' style.

He shows me a catalogue with the engine they're going to put in. It's a 150cc engine, not a Vespa engine, though - I don't care. It's new and it's big and it'll go up to 60mph.

I had him write it all up on an work order, and he added "no additional cost, pk to be returned to inventory". Sweet! The owner's signed off on my new scooter. Frankly, with all the drama at the shop, I was afraid that if I got an agreement from the manager, I'd be stuck if he got fired.

We had a friendly chat, he promised to make things right - for what that's worth. They're meeting tomorrow to set up a game plan, and he'll call me to let me know what the timeline is. Better to check with the staff tomorrow than promise me something he can't deliver on. I made sure to repeat "So, you'll call me tomorrow." Yup. He'll call as soon as they're done meeting. The Scapegoat will be working on my scooter.

Perfect.

He wants me to be happy. He wants me to tell all my friends that They Who Cannot Be Named has done right by me. I tell him that's what I want too, and we're getting closer to me being happy. We'll see what the next week or so brings.

He looked at the invoice and said, yeah, this is going to be about a $3500 ride when all's said and done.

That's what I'm talking about.

I do believe in the scooter fairy. I really, really do.