a long journey - part two

The actual design process started last year - when we first started interviewing pool contractors.

Our very first experience did not go well.

I called Swan Pools because I had a flier from them and was familiar with the company name as they have been around a long time.

So I made an appointment - for 11am.

11:30 no pool guy

Noon - no pool guy

1:00 - I get a call:
pool guy "hey I'm running a little late"
me thinking "no S***"
me talking "no problem, you still going to be able to make it today?"
pool guy "Yeah should be there in about an hour"
me "OK"

2:00 no pool guy

2:30 I call pool guy
me "Hey you still coming?"
PG "yeah I am on my way"
me "OK, I need to get my kids by 4"
PG "him - no problem - I'll be there in 15 minutes"

2:45 - no pool guy

3:00 - no pool guy

3:05 - I call pool guy
me "hey you still coming?"
PG "yeah on my way"
me "OK, well I am going to go pick up my kids and be back in 20 minutes, because if I don't and you get here I won't be able to make it in time:
PG "OK, I'll be there in 30 minutes"

3:35 - I have got the kids and came home - no pool guy

note: AJ has a baseball game that I need to manage - starts at 6, we need to be at the field at 5 - didn't think this was going to be a conflict with an 11am appointment!

3:45 - I call pool guy
me "hey you still coming?"
PG "yeah almost there"
me "OK, but here is the deal I need to leave by 450 - can you get here and have time to discuss this before then"
PG "well, I don't know"
me "look, I don't mean to be a prick or anything but we did have an appointment at 11"
PG "I know, I know - I just got held up this one client is a real jerk and blah, blah, blah"

note: I never understand when salesman bad mouth their other customers to a potential client - it always makes me wary, but I digress:

PG cont " I'll be there in 5 min"

me thinking again "yeah, I bet"

3:50 - no pool guy

4:00 - no pool guy

4:15 NO F****** POOL GUY - Is this guy for real?

4:30 - Hey a pool guy - now remember I need to leave now in 15 minutes for the game and I remind him.

PG "well, I don't know if that will be enough time"

me (as politely as I can since my two young children are watching) "well, I've been waiting all day and this is all the time I have left"

PG "alright"

me "OK, so my wife and I were thinking we would like to put the pool here and a spa over there and maybe some landscaping"

PG (interrupting) "well we have this special and it looks like this and it costs 45 thousand"

me "OK, well that is not exactly what we are looking for, do you do custom designs"

PG "well, we can but we don't really like to"

me thinking again "how does this guy still have a job"

it is now 4;50 and I am out of time do I decide to cut bait

me "OK, leave me your special and I will discuss it with my wife"

PG "well, if we sign today we can get started faster"

me laughing "yeah, I don't think I am going to do that and I need to go to my game now"

PG "well, I did come all the way out here"

Me (restraining from simply punching him in the face at this point, after all the kids are still watching) "yeah, well like I said I will look at your special with my wife"

He leaves, we rush out to the game and needless to say - we didn't go with Swan.