silence

As the months of summer slowly blend into each other I've chosen to stop writing for awhile. I so appreciate the emails and texts I have been sent by my readers. I'm doing okay. Life doesn't alway turn out the way you thought it would, does it? I know I'm being vague in my writing this small post. There are thoughts of starting another blog and ending this blog...I'm not sure quite yet. But for now I'm stepping back....focusing on the happenings of my life and reflecting upon who I am and who I want to be.....vague...I know....

What Giving Away "Jack and Ginger" Gets Ya

Last week I worked a five leg day to El Paso, Texas. Texas: home of southern hospitality and true Texan gentlemen. (I would know since I married one!) Leg 3 took me to San Jose, California where we picked up a very nice elderly gentleman, most likely in his mid-80's.

He sat in the 2nd to last row the entire time, kept to himself and was as sweet as cherry pie. He calmly endured sitting next to a hysterical 2 year old and bossy 3 year old for the first leg. The next flight, he stayed put in his seat and flew down the coast of California with us. The flight was rather empty, but he chose to stay put in my section.

Due to his sweet demeanor and patience I decided to comp his drinks on that leg. He went ahead and ordered a Jack and Ginger to take the edge off and was pleasantly surprised when I told him it was on the house. He warmed up to me significantly and was getting a little courage from his Jack and Ginger. He talked about attending his granddaughters graduation in Santa Rosa and how he had lived in El Paso all his life.

By leg 3 there was no one left on the plane. Only 20 people or so joined us for our flight to El Paso. I thought he would move up to be closer to the exit so he could get off the plane as soon as possible since he had had such a long journey. Nope. He stayed put in my section. While the plane filled with all 20 passengers I sat in the seat across the aisle from him to chat. He was really cold. He pulled on the neck of dress shirt to reveal that he was wearing 2 more t-shirts to stay warm. It was no wonder he was freezing he was probably barely 90 pounds. He told me as soon as he got home he was headed straight to his hot tub to warm up!

On the last leg he ordered two more Jack and Gingers and of course I gave it to him on the house again. His look of surprise was so cute! When we finally landed and all of us were preparing to get off the plane (FINALLY.) I was gathering my bags and noticed he was lingering. He had no bags. He turned to smile and say thank you. I told him it was my pleasure and it was nice talking to him.

He walked up a few rows and then turned around. I asked him if he forgot something. He said no. But then he said, "I was wondering if you would like to join me in my hot tub tonight?" Normally I would have laughed it off. But I could tell how much courage it had taken him to ask me. I told him, "Thank you so much for the offer. I'm actually married. But I'm very flattered by your invitation." He quietly nodded and smiled, and then said, "Well I watched the way you walk!" And with that he turned and left.


I didn't know what to say?! I was blushing beyond belief. Those that know me know I have a booty to boot and swing my hips to and fro, and I'm aware that people stare here and there. But for a little old man to actually admit it? I was slightly shocked. I chuckled all the way up the jetbridge and told my crew what he said. I was working with two straight guys, both of which just laughed and offered to run ahead and tell my passenger to wait and I would join him! Funny guys. Real funny.

Can you imagine the courage it took for him to ask? I wonder if he actually thought I would say yes? I am fully aware of the stigma that comes with being a flight attendant and the stereotype of such a career choice. Did this sweet old man consider that? Was it my walk? Or was it the free Jack and Ginger? Guess we'll never know...

A simple NO will suffice

So the move is complete. And we are ready to rock our new place!

But there were still a few loose ends that needed tying up this week. The first 2 weeks in our place we had no cable, no Internet, no outside connection...we felt pathetic. We had to take our computer down by a nearby hotel or a Starbucks to get anything accomplished on our laptops. Or, when we had the keys to our old place we would have to drive uptown just to use our old Internet connection. Annoying, and a waste of time to say the least!

Why did we have to wait so long? The cable/Internet company was booked two weeks out on appointments! How irritating. I mean, it's great for Comcast, but crappy for us. So we held on to our Qwest account uptown until the keys were turned over and our connection to the virtual world was finally installed.

But being the loopy person that I am these days, I forgot to cancel the old Internet once we had our new connection at home. Argh. I wasn't too worried considering we pay a month in advance with them and they were going to end up owing us money instead. I should have done this a couple of days ago but I ended up with what I think was a mild case of food poisoning and was a lump under a blanket on my bed. Blah, blah, blah...

Today feeling much perkier I made the much dreaded phone call to Qwest. Don't we ALL hate making that call? The call that should simply take 2 minutes and instead takes a year off your life. (Can I please have the 30 minutes back? Maybe if I actually used my Bluetooth so I could multi-task while I'm shooting the breeze with the "Loyalty" department I wouldn't be so bothered...but I don't even know where my Bluetooth is, so multi-tasking was out of the question.)

I did decide to do the unthinkably rude thing to do and ate a bowl of Grape Nuts during the the first part of the phone call hoping it would get on their nerves enough that they would say, "Fine! Enough of the crunching! What are you eating, rocks?? Your service is cancelled! Good bye!!" But it didn't sway them in the least.

After finally being able to locate my account (this seemed to take a bit too long), giving them my 3 different addresses for verification and agreeing to donate my kidney to the agent over the phone she was able to locate my account. I was out of cereal by the time they found the account. Great, now I had to endure the questions...

The last thing I want to do when cancelling an account of any kind is go into detail about why I'm cancelling the account. Sometimes I want to be really dramatic and say,

"I have one day to live and I don't need the service any longer. Thanks! Have a great day!I know I will!"

But in the end I always give in to the routine that makes me feel guilty for even considering the thought of moving or wanting to cancel my service. Talk about guilt trips. Those agents must be fabulous at getting what they want at home...little manipulators!!

I love the script that they are given:

Agent: So you've decided to cancel your Internet service? We feel terrible. Is there anything we can do to change your mind? We hate to lose such a loyal customer?

Me: No. Unless of course you want to stop charging me and let me have it for free?

Agent: (Courtesy laugh) I'm sorry we can't do that.

Me: No? Well then no, I need to cancel.

Agent: May I ask the reason you are cancelling with Qwest?

Here was my chance! Take it Katie! Reach out and grab it! Don't stay on the phone for an hour taking care of this!! Tell her you have one day to live!!!!! Never mind...

I decided NOT to give in to the question...but I kept it cordial.

Me: It's personal.n (straight forward...perfectly stated)

The Agent was wondering how to respond...because what can you actually say to that answer....

Agent: Oh. I see. (Well played Agent Betty Sue) I need to transfer you to our Customer Loyalty department (here we go again) it will be just a moment please hold. click.

And so begins the playing of soft jazz in my ear...the kind that might be heard in an adult film of some sort while Barry White croons in the background. Oh Yeah.....3 minutes pass...ugh.

Agent: Kathryn?

Me: Yes?

Agent: I have Lorraine on the line from our Customer Loyalty department, she be able to take it from here. (Where are we going with it?)

Lorraine: Hi Kathryn, my name is Lorraine (got that already). I understand you called to cancel your account today. We hate to lose you as a customer. Here at Qwest we do anything possible to retain you as a customer. Wah, wah, Wah, wah, wah....(imagine Charlie Browns school teacher. In one ear and out another)... So, may I ask the reason for cancelling your account? (How do I tell the sweet girl that they are overpriced, expensive, and very irritating to work with when there is a problem with my account. Do I go the route of "One day to live?" or "We are going with another provider" and then endure the invasive questions Who? Why? What? Where? When? and How Much?? Wellll she did say, "May I?" so I decided to turn the tables.

Me: No, you may not.

silence. seriously. silence.

Me: Hello?

Lorraine: (trying to find the prompt on her screen that is the best response to my response.) Um, okay. Well when do you want to cancel?

Me: Today.

Lorraine: Oh, that's not possible. Will tomorrow work? (Duh Lorraine)

Me: That works too!

And that was it! No guilt trips, no unneeded questions asked. It was great. I wasn't rude. I was forthcoming and private. I'm going to do this from now on!!