The Bowling Saga - The Exciting Conclusion(?)

Lauren, the SCC Treasurer, told me on Friday that I needed documentation of price and exact billing amount from the bowling alley in order to complete a PO. I told her that I'd be gone all weekend, and I could get it to her on Monday, and her response was that that should be early enough to get a check by 2 April. I called the bowling alley yesterday morning:

Me: Hi, is Joe Claypool there?
Guy on Phone: No he's not.
[beat]
Me: OK, could you tell me when he'll be in?
GOP: Not until after 5 tonight.
Me: OK, maybe you could help me (I go on to explain the situation)
GOP: No, I don't know nothing about that.
Me: Is there anyone there that could help me? I need this invoice before five today.
GOP: Nope.

Very helpful guy. I don't think he really knew anything. But an email to Lauren confirmed that, if I got the invoice to her first thing tomorrow (today), we should still have the check in time. I called the bowling alley after dinner.

GOP: Valley Lanes, Joe speaking.
Me: Is this Joe Claypool?
Joe: Yes it is.
[I introduce myself for the fortieth time and tell him I need an invoice]
Joe: Well, Monday's a real bad night.
Me: But I need--
Joe: I understand. I'll need a few hours.
Me: All I need is a--
Joe: I know what you need. What's the amount?
[I give him the amount]
Joe: It might take a few hours for me to put this all together.
[For the record, I haven't said more than 20 words at this point. He keeps cutting me off]
Me: It shouldn't take more than--
Joe: Monday's just a real bad night. I'll see what I can do. [click]

At this point I was ranting and raving again. Karen agreed to drive with me to Valley Lanes around 8 to talk to him in person. When we got there, Joe was in the pro shop, fitting someone for a ball. "Joe?" "Yes?" "I'm AJ Schuster--" "Oh yes, talk to Jim at the desk. You're all set."

And that was it. Joe had apparently found the 30 seconds necessary to write 10 words on a sheet of paper for us in the two hours since I had called him. I felt so honored.

March 26, 2002 - 11:41 AM

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