Disabling The Engine Of Entitlement

The local marina will store your boat and perform a “spring tune-up” by a certain date for a reasonable rate.

One guy who does not use the service puts his boat in the water but cannot get it started. He storms into the shop on that first nice spring day with a crowd of shoppers and barges in front of them.

Customer: “Get a mechanic to follow me down to the water and start my engine! Now!”

Me: “Sir, please wait while I finish serving these people.”

This only ramps him up and makes him yell louder. Sensing how this might escalate, I pick up a wrench and a screwdriver and walk down to the boat.

While the guy is still ranting, a screw is turned, and the engine sputters a few times and then settles into a smooth idle.

Me: “That’ll be $20.”

Customer: “I’m not giving you any $20 for just turning a screw. I could have done that.”

At that point, the screw was turned again. The engine sputtered to a stop, and we separated.

One hour later, the man came back into the shop and offered $20, up front, for someone to start his engine. The cost was now $40… for two trips.