Submitted By Renee Galioto
Island Appliance Repair
It is always a challenge when working in private homes of our customers. You never know what might be behind the next door or in the garage. But, over the years a handful of situations stand out as being the ones, the stories that you tell at a Christmas party or at convention. Well here you go…
I answered my office phone one summer afternoon to hear my lead tech whispering a nervous greeting into the phone. Obviously, I was curious. He proceeded to tell me that he was inside a customer home and the customer was having a feud with the neighbor next door.
Okay? Uncomfortable, but whatever, just diagnose the refrigerator and get out I thought.
“She’s locked herself inside and is holding his dog hostage.” He whispered.
I’m sorry, what? I had the sudden vision of some poor bulldog with a revolver to his head.
Apparently, her cat and his dog were involved in a turf war over whose yard was the designated bathroom. Our customer’s cat had been leaving tiny surprises in the neighbor’s yard for some time; long enough that it had become an argument between the two of them and threats had been issued. Leash laws and property lines being what they are, the argument had been gradually coming to a boil.
And you guessed it, today was the day. The neighbor’s dog had strayed over the property line. Our customer quickly scooped him up and yelled to her neighbor that since his dog had trespassed on her property, he wasn’t getting him back. She then ran into her house, locking the door behind her.
My tech was now listening to the neighbor pounding on our customer’s door while she stood with her back up to the door (barricade style) holding his dog and shouting “you’re not getting him back, I’m calling animal control.”
To which he responded that he was going to break the door down.
“What should I do?” he asked quietly. “He’s threatening to break the door down.”
I hesitated, taking in the situation. Now I have heard everything.
Not knowing how this situation would evolve or what the neighbor was willing to do to liberate his dog… I told him to leave the home. After confirming that he could do so safely, I gave him the go-ahead. He slipped out the back door without involving himself in the argument.
I fully expected to get a call from her within the hour to ask where the tech went and why he had not repaired her refrigerator… that call never came.
For all I know she’s still holding that dog with her back up against the door.
