Deferred errands
Mar. 18th, 2009 03:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stephbgBack on Feb 7 my oven did a bad thing involving apparently melting components and much acrid smoke. I've been putting off chasing up the warranty and repairs etc because I knew it would be A Pain, so I sealed the crime scene and waited to get better so I could face the music.
I'm not better, but the elephant in the room finally pushed me into action today. I collected the paperwork, my record of events, and the magic phone number.
Their call centre was experiencing an unusually high number of calls. Would I like them to call me back? Yes. A much better option than sitting on hold, as long as they do actually call, which they did.
I spoke to a lovely lady who nonetheless seemed very alarmed by my description of events. She declined my offer to submit photographs and/or a sample of the residue. She seemed suprised by the amount of detail I had to hand, and I didn't even get through it all: temperature, setting, tray type, tray position, timing etc etc. Just the stuff the manual talks about as being relevant *fails to look ungeeky*.
I may or may not have heard the words "Oh my goodness. People don't usually..." but fortunately in reference to my reporting abilities rather than my cooking technique. It's not the first time :-)
She managed to surprise me by asking could I get my partner to switch off the oven at the mains.
"My partner?" I repeated, confused. "You mean right now this second? Is it that urgent? It's been sitting there for weeks."
"Oh no," she said, "It doesn't have to be right now but it would be safer to get him to switch it off."
I was slow to register what in hindsight was a disturbing demonstration of sexism, and remained puzzled.
"If it's not urgent I'll do it myself, then, later."
"I suppose you could do that."
The penny dropped; I suppose indeed. And I have. I happily bear the title Mrs and status of Married, but I do wonder sometimes if the service world would treat me differently if I didn't. I'm more startled than annoyed when this sort of thing comes up; the idea of Husband being more capable than I with power tools, for example, is a source of amusement to us both.
The Oven Man will come around "some time on Saturday". There goes the kite surfing lesson.
I'm not better, but the elephant in the room finally pushed me into action today. I collected the paperwork, my record of events, and the magic phone number.
Their call centre was experiencing an unusually high number of calls. Would I like them to call me back? Yes. A much better option than sitting on hold, as long as they do actually call, which they did.
I spoke to a lovely lady who nonetheless seemed very alarmed by my description of events. She declined my offer to submit photographs and/or a sample of the residue. She seemed suprised by the amount of detail I had to hand, and I didn't even get through it all: temperature, setting, tray type, tray position, timing etc etc. Just the stuff the manual talks about as being relevant *fails to look ungeeky*.
I may or may not have heard the words "Oh my goodness. People don't usually..." but fortunately in reference to my reporting abilities rather than my cooking technique. It's not the first time :-)
She managed to surprise me by asking could I get my partner to switch off the oven at the mains.
"My partner?" I repeated, confused. "You mean right now this second? Is it that urgent? It's been sitting there for weeks."
"Oh no," she said, "It doesn't have to be right now but it would be safer to get him to switch it off."
I was slow to register what in hindsight was a disturbing demonstration of sexism, and remained puzzled.
"If it's not urgent I'll do it myself, then, later."
"I suppose you could do that."
The penny dropped; I suppose indeed. And I have. I happily bear the title Mrs and status of Married, but I do wonder sometimes if the service world would treat me differently if I didn't. I'm more startled than annoyed when this sort of thing comes up; the idea of Husband being more capable than I with power tools, for example, is a source of amusement to us both.
The Oven Man will come around "some time on Saturday". There goes the kite surfing lesson.
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no subject
Date: 2009-03-18 08:09 am (UTC)This is the sort of thing that passive voice is for.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-18 08:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-18 08:29 am (UTC)Never did understand either side of that particular example of sexism. I like being able to more-or-less look after myself (although delegating has its place), and I don't see the point in letting the other side have all the fun. Bah humbug.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-18 11:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-19 02:53 am (UTC)And yes,