I thought about posting this in MD, and a sheriff may choose to move it there, but I think it's on topic here.
Today I splurged on two 1-kilo lobsters for my wife and I to celebrate the new year. When I got them home, one was healthy, and one was very droopy, and considering what these lobsters cost, I wasn't going to accept a droopy lobster. If you know anything about lobsters, you'll know that droopy ones don't taste good. I took it back to the fish market and complained. They didn't have any more lobsters that size. I left shortly thereafter with a .75 kilo lobster plus a 0.5 kilo lobster -- which is more than I went in with, and it didn't cost me anything. We had a great dinner and leftovers to make lobster rolls tomorrow.
Two weeks ago we had some company. We've got a new baby, so my wife called a restaurant delivery service we frequent and ordered some food. They misunderstood her and sent three extra entrees above and beyond what she ordered, and charged her for them. She didn't realize what had happened. Later, I called the service and told them what had happened, and that I put the extra food in the freezer, and I really wasn't excited about spending $50 for what amounted to three frozen dinners. They sent me a gift certificate for $25, and I kept the food -- it was still good reheated.
Earlier this week, I got a hospital bill from my son's birth. It was for something my health plan said they wouldn't cover, and it was for $800 -- a good-sized chunk of money. It was clear that the health plan
should have covered it. I called the health plan, asked a few questions, and before I knew it, was told to ignore the bill -- they'd pay it, it was their mistake.
A couple of months ago, I got a $4,000
water bill. The meter reader had transposed the two most significant digits on our reading. I called the water company and within minutes, they told me to tear up the bill, and took my new reading over the phone.
In contrast, a relative of mine who I shan't name has, in the space of the last six months, had a cardiologist refuse to treat him anymore, and a pharmacy ban him for life, both because of incidents that occurred when something went wrong and this family member needed to complain.
Why does he have such bad luck, and things seem to turn out well for me? I'm not lucky -- I'm
nice. In every one of the situations described here, a shopkeeper or employee screwed up. In response, my relative called people names, shouted and swore, threatened and abused. They responded in the only manner you could expect: they fought back.
In constrast, I smiled, spoke politely, asked nicely, said "Please" and "Thank you" and "That's great!" and "You're teriffic!" People responded, again, predictably: they wanted to please me, and they did.
Happy new year, everybody!