Wading in the Velvet Sea

You hardly ever think about Categories 1 and 2, since these people are generally needed only in a time of crisis. And since very few of us lead a life as crisis-filled as those on “Battlestar: Galactica”, we mostly need these categories at most two or three times a year. However, when these two or three times roll around, you want to kiss these people for being around. Unless they are ugly. In which case you give them a fruit basket.

I have a Category 2 friend, who luckily is also one of my best friends, so I try to keep him as merely a good friend and not a Category 2 friend. In fact, it’s probably best that these Category relationships stay out of your social realm. (Especially the Category 3 ones…let’s just say I had my share of “who the hell is this guy eating my Fritos” moments in college.) That way, the relationships remain cordial if not intimate. Hard to balance the two. Doesn’t mean you can’t like the people in these Categories, but I myself have a hard time asking people to put themselves out for me. Couple that with the fact I am calling on them to fix something I myself cannot (a HUGE pet peeve), and it gets a bit awkward for yours truly.

Today I am ecstatic to have a Category 1 relationship in that a certain dealership tried to screw me out of $1200 yesterday, and let’s just say I was less than pleased about it.

This paragraph will deal with boring details that I might get wrong so don’t sue me. Essentially, my car was making noise, and while in Jersey, The Girl’s dad established that I had an unwell flex pipe. Take it to Midas, they say it’s part of the catalytic converter, which is $600, BUT that converter is under a federally-mandated warranty, so, just take it back and boom, you’re done. When I called the dealership, however, they tried to give me a song and dance about how they couldn’t confirm that until they saw it, blah blah, and it might end up costing me $1200, and they are telling me this not under the guise of intimidation playing on my lack of car knowledge, noooo, but to “engage in the best business practices”.

Riiiight.

I then track down my Category 1 relationship, who, in turns out, works in a dealership 5 miles from my house. He calls back a few hours later, tells me EXACTLY the same thing as the Midas guy, and tells me to bring it in Thursday. Done and done.

Now…

There very well might be something wrong that’s not covered. Totally possible. I know that I am under the 8 year warranty (car is 7 years old) and the 80,000 mile warranty (car has 79,800). Not trying to screw them. But here’s the best part: I know HE won’t try to screw ME. Which is about all I want out of any transaction, period. Radical concept, I know, and I’m hardly the first to encounter such $1200 crap, but still, it’s a rare thing for a lot of people to get that trusted opinion in the automotive mechanical world, so that’s why I am thrilled to have it. Whatever I have to eventually pay (if anything) will be indeed what I have to pay.

It’s a bit sad that two elements so prolific and central to modern day life (cars and computers) are such mysteries to their users. Pretty shocking, really. I have a rudimentary understanding of PCs and can work my way through a lot of issues, but my new wireless network all but kicked my ass a few weeks back. Until this past Saturday, I had no real idea what an oil change entailed. However, I can recite to you most of the lines in the cinematic adaptation of “The Two Towers”. So, I have some skill I suppose.

For now, best I can do is cultivate a little more knowledge of these fields while thankful I still have my Category 1 and 2 relationships. It’s hard, damn hard, for me to realize I can’t do everything myself, and even harder to reach out for assistance when I need it (ask The Girl about my inability to ask for directions), but it’s good to know I have a pair of people when I’m in dire need.