You know, that feeling that you have to pay a whole lot of money to simply maintain the status quo…this has occurred twice in the past 24 hours:
First, in “upgrading” my cell phone account. Translation: after being hit with a frightening $166 bill, I have the option and privilege of paying even $15 MORE per month to avoid paying MORE in the future (or something like that). Even though it made fiscal sense, I gotta say it doesn’t feel good to call up a company that just …er….”hit” you with an exorbitant bill and say, “hey, I’d like to pay you even MORE – on an ongoing basis – because I just paid you so much this month!” Is that counterintuitive or is it just me?
Second, in paying $80 for a locksmith to spend 3 minutes doing some primitive jimmying to get me back inside to progress with my morning routine as usual. No, I don’t know how the back door “locked itself” after my run, but I’m sure the really great guys who came to the rescue this morning don’t care. Once they were gone, all was back to order….the only difference being a larger VISA expenditure for this month….for life as status quo!
But God Bless America for cell phones and locksmiths!
Why don’t you leave a spare key with a friendly neighbour?
I have – but she was at work! Time to rethink the strategy….
Very interesting article. Few days ago I also have been in the same situation. I locked myself out of my apartment. I think a locksmith (or any type of technician job that requires home visits) would be an excellent study in human behavior, sociology, psychology, and the like. You get to see how people live and how they react to adversity. It is important to find an honest and reliable locksmith. Some companies run a criminal background check on all employees to help ensure their people are trustworthy. If you are nervous about hiring a locksmith, ask about the background check policy when you call a company for help.
ha interesting thought Michael…that kind of came to mind when I had a notary come by at a later point in time. If getting into a cab is risky, inviting someone into your home has to be riskier. Weird….