my money ain’t green

ok, i don’t usually actually write on this blog, i’m more of a pictures person. but i’ve got to vent really quick.

i was just refused service for a second time today in los angeles. i am not sure i have EVER had a service provider reject my perfectly green money. but i suppose people just don’t really need my business in LA. thank god for our super-strong economy!!!

so here goes:

1. called a brake shop in downtown yesterday to arrange an inspection of my obviously worn out brakes (muto, it was bad!). they told me to bring it in the next MORNING (today). so my good buddy brent drives all the way from hollywood to help me drop it off and get to work. i show up at the shop and inform the man that i was the guy that called yesterday and that i was here for the inspection. he dug deep, and came up with, “i can’t do it today”. I said, “well, i called yesterday and you told me to bring it in. my friend drove a long way to give me a ride”. he replies (with nasty tone and facial), “it’s already 10:30”. i quickly responded, “yeah, 10:30 in the MORNING”. he quickly entered another, more important, client’s car, and drove into the shop. thank you PHIL AND TOM’S BRAKE REPAIR ON 1000 S. BOYLE for NOTHING.

2. i just called RAMBUTUN THAI on west sunset blvd to order some tasty curry. i have ordered there with muto many times. the food has been great. this time around, the lady on the phone informed me delivery would take an hour, i indicated this was no problem. based on my phone number, she looked up my address, which was stored as muto’s address since i ordered from his place my first time around. i corrected the address for her and she had no idea where echo park and sunset was, but had no problem with muto’s address. she insisted this was my OLD address, and i explained it was just a friend’s. after spelling it for her 18 times, she put me on hold for 2 seconds, then came back to inform me it was too far away. all i have to say is google the distance between my house and rambutun and then muto’s house and rambutun. here, i’ll save you some effort:

mutos: 1.5 miles
my place: 1.2 miles

she insisted this was not in their delivery zone (1.2 MILES!!!) even after i suggested this was closer than the last place i received delivery. she said she would deliver to “my old address”, but not my new one. i hung up.

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in conclusion, i have found that los angeles businesses are very successful, so much so that they can irrationally refuse some customers in favor of other, further away customers. i realize no one is in any way obligated to provide me service. i am just amazed at the growing number of personal experiences i have had with this type of unwanted business in LA. (yes there have been others).