Night in Hell

aka South Baton Rouge

ThursDAY was great... Thursday night... completely different story. Let me start my story with being honest, I was PMSing. Which means, I might have bitten off a few heads, become ultra-sensative, at strange combinatios of food... any number of things. So when I found myself at a south Baton Rouge gas station, locked out my car at 9 oclock at night standing in the rain with nothing but a little bit of change in my hand, lets just say... I almost lost it.

Everything was in my car, including my wallet and cell phone. The gas station attendants refused to let me use the store phone to call for help. I don't go to south Baton Rouge too often so since I did not really know my exact location, its not like I could have called my parents and given them directions to where I was. I got the number for my insurance company's roadside assistance off the little sticker I had stuck to my glass (thank God I had remembered to do that). Still, that left me standing in the rain on a payphone on the dark side of the gas station.

So I called them, used the number on the payphone to help them find where I was, and the guy (who was extremely kind) tried his best to locate an un-locking service for me. While, I'm on hold, I streeeetch over to another phone to call Chad and my parents... the phone keeps on eating my money.... *grrr* After about 30 minutes on the phone and constantly getting harrassed the entire time by cocky arrogant south baton rouge frat boys who probably have to buy hummers because they are compensating, he was unable to get me anyone who could come to help me within a reasonable amount of time and at this point... I'm on the verge of tears. So he gives me the option of calling the local sherrif's office for help, and I'm getting really uncomfortable being all by myself in the rain/dark so I decide to go ahead and do that... so he puts me on hold again and gives them a call and then transfers me over...

Lets just say... I don't hold the Sherrif's office in the highest esteem... and dealing with them that night didn't help my opinion at all. My insurance guy explains my situation to the officer in full, and he shoots back with "Well why haven't ya'll called Pop-a-Lock?" and my insurance guy tries his best to explain that we already did that and I feel that I am in danger and need immediate assistance. So the officer, seemingly understands, and gets my information. Estimated time of arrival is 15 to 20 minutes.

Over an hour later, and after watching 4 Sherrif's deputies drive by, I finally convince the gas station attendant to please let me use the store phone to call them back. I think I must have gotten the same guy and although he already knew who I was... he couldn't give me a straight answer and then he asked the same dumb question... why haven't I called Pop-a-Lock. I was just like... "No... we TRIED that remember... that's why we called YOU!" and he was like... "oh well, we requested an un-locking service to come out we have someone on the way" and I was just like... "well then, what's the deal? Do you REALLY know where I am... because I've watched your guys drive by already several times... apparently a female stranded on a dark street corner late at night isn't too high on your priorities is it?" and he just mumbled a few other things that basically amounted to lame excuses and I went ballistic on the man...

"You know what, nevermind, I'll find help elsewhere." *click*

So even though, I feel better. That still leaves me stranded. So I decide to call back my Roadside assistance. I had to re-explain my situation... another 30 minutes on the phone. The lady after hearing my story, could't believe that I had been treated in such a manner by those who were supposed to be serving and protecting. So she pulled up my information, and called Pop-a-lock. Turns out, they had never been called by the Sherriff's office (which of course, at this point, didn't surprise me)... but since it was now 11:30 at night, they had slowed down enough to get me service within the next half hour.

So the Pop-a-Lock guy FINALLY gets there... and lemme tell ya... he was "real" thrilled to help me out. You would think HE was the one that was soaking wet and cold and terrified or something... because he was obviously the most miserable and discontent person on earth. If there was a person that was less enthusiastic about their job, it would probably be the poopscooper at the zoo.... or maybe that sherriff's officer.

Anyways... I'm sure I should be saying something to make me sound all gratefull like... "hey it could have been worse"... yeah maybe if when the lock got popped my car spontaneously combusted... yeah that would have made a perfect ending to the night.