Taking The Express To A Bad Mood

I’m the bad customer here. This was 2003, so the technology was not what it is now. I am juggling full-time work and study, so I have taken a precious day off to read a text. Because the text is only provided on CD-ROM; I need it printed so I can highlight and make notes. I take it to the print shop on the afternoon before my day off and pay for express printing. They explain they will have it done first thing tomorrow morning and will call me as soon as it’s done.

The next morning, my husband is home for a bit, so I go for a quick early walk. Upon getting home, I check the answering machine for a message from the print shop: nothing. I then wait and wait and wait. Midday, I still haven’t heard from them, and I can’t find their number, so I drive there, which takes ages due to traffic and parking.

Me: “Hi, I was supposed to have express printing done first thing this morning. It’s now past lunchtime and I haven’t heard anything. Have you even done it? The name is [My Name].”

Employee: “Oh, yes, here it is.”

Me: “You were supposed to call me when it was done. I needed this as soon as possible and paid for express printing. Why didn’t anyone call me?”

Employee: “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”

Me: *Really cranky* “Well, what exactly is the point of me paying for express printing if no one even lets me know when it’s done, like you said you would? What is the point? This has really messed up my day.”

Employee: “I really don’t know what happened—”

Me: *Interrupting* “Never mind. I’ve wasted enough time today.”

I storm out like a stroppy teenager. It takes ages to get home again, so I am reading solidly all afternoon and into the evening, through dinner and in bed.

My husband is about to turn off the light to go to sleep when he says:

Husband: “Oh, someone called early this morning that you had some printing or something waiting to be collected?”

Gaaaaahh!