There is a price to pay to live in paradise. For many of us, that price is working a second job. My landlord moonlights as a server at Duke’s. My neighbor drives a bus and works as a bartender. My
There is a price to pay to live in paradise. For many of us, that price is working a second job.
My landlord moonlights as a server at Duke’s. My neighbor drives a bus and works as a bartender. My boyfriend fixes computers and mows lawns.
My second job was at a car rental agency.
Helping people in and out of their cars for nearly two years has taught me a lot about human nature. While most people are pleasant, there’s a few rotten apples that spoil the whole bunch.
I’ve had customers yell at me in multiple languages, call me names, spit on me and threatened to have me fired.
In these situations, I just think how awful it must be to spend a small fortune on a vacation to Hawai‘i and all you can do is complain.
In these few cases, I sympathize with the customer, but offer a few words of wisdom.
Yes, I understand your flight was delayed, the airline lost your luggage and a screaming two-year-old would not be quiet for a single minute of the flight. While I am sorry for your travels weren’t pleasant, can I point out that it wasn’t my fault? Please, don’t take your anger out on me. Most of the time, a snotty attitude won’t get you a discount or free upgrade, nor will it make me work any faster.
Can I also point out you chose to vacation in Hawai‘i? You picked Kaua‘i of all places. Please don’t expect everything to be instantaneous. The pace of life is slower here than on the mainland. Complaining that I’m taking too long won’t get the job done any faster. Most of the time, it will just slow me down.
Also, while I have no problem helping you roll your luggage to the car, I do have a problem when you over pack your suitcase and expect me to carry a 60-pound bag to the trunk of your rental car. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t lift the suitcase yourself, you packed too much.
Here’s another good rule of thumb: If you are traveling with four other people and five pieces of luggage, please don’t expect to fit in an economy-sized, two-door car. And no, I can’t give you a free upgrade into an SUV with four-wheel-drive.
But if you would like to pay the difference and drive a vehicle with fof-road capabilities, please don’t think you can go anywhere on the island. Keep in mind, a tow company charges $600 just to drive out to Polihale Beach. If the tow truck has to pull you out of the sand, you are looking of a bill north of $1,200. That is, if your car doesn’t overheat and burn to a crisp, which has happened.
Finally, as a customer service representative, I was nice to you because it was a part of my job. Please don’t mistake this professional friendliness for anything else. When I ask if there is anything I can do to help you, this is not an open invitation to hit on me.
• Andrea Frainier, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 257 or afrainier@ thegardenisland.com.
