What's the point of appointments?

If you've been reading my most recent posts, you've seen the wonderful luck I've been having with tires. For the sake of keeping all four of my loyal readers updated, let me inform you of the ....most...recent.... information....

Last week I went over to Discount Tire Co and bought a new tire. This is two days after Eric rescued my brother and I by loaning me his spare tire. I tell the dude by the name of Misael that I need a new tire and somewhat explain to him that I need a new spare too b/c the one on my car is not mine. He does some slow-mo typing on the computer and tells me that he can get me a replacement tire for the one that died for free. But on top of that, he suggested I get another tire for the driver side rear tire. I was unaware that they worked on commission until he suggested that.

I told him that I was planning on doing that pretty soon b/c that particular tire was a used one that I bought when that tire blew out. (Bad luck with tires remember?) He said he could get me a new tire to replace the used one, another wheel, and a really good used tire that I could use as a spare. I agreed to that because it sounded like a good deal.

I'm sitting there waiting, watching my Attack of the Show Podcasts on my Zune and sitting in awe at the amazing beauty of Olivia Munn. I end up waiting for quite a while. About 45 mins later, Misael walks over to me and tells me that he has the wheel but the new tire he was going to give me was missing or something like that. He said he was going to be off the next day but he would go pick up one of the tires from another location and drop it off for me there. I said ok, grabbed my keys, and bolted out of there b/c I was late coming back from lunch.

I called the next day to see if Misael had dropped it off, and of course he hadn't They said this was something he usually did and he usually gets there at about noon on his days off with tires for some of his customers and that they would give me a call when he got there. Of course they never called.

Fast forward to Saturday when I'm junk yard shopping with Gordon.

I called them and talked to Misael, after being put on hold for about 9 minutes, and he told me that he wasn't able to go pick up the tire and he would go on his lunch then call me as soon as he got back. Well this time he called me back, except at that point I was already in Red Oak getting ready to go to Allen for the peewee football game. I told him I would have to stop by there during lunch again sometime next (this) week.

I called yesterday and thankfully Misael is the one who answered so I didn't have to explain the long drawn out story to anyone. I made an appointment for today at 12:15 fully expecting to be late from lunch again.

I didn't take into account, however, that I would be 30 mins late to work this morning. At about 9:30 I decided I would just take a 30 min lunch and it would be copasetic. At about 11:15 I remember the appointment and kicked myself for forgetting. I finished up a few things before noon then high tailed it out of here to go get my tires.

An hour and a half. That's how long it took. The funny part of that is this. Last week when I asked how long I would have to wait if I didn't set an appointment and just went in at lunch, the dude on the phone said, you guessed it, an hour and a half. So I ask you, what's the point of the appointment?!

Sheesh that means I'll probably end up staying at work till 6 to make up for the lost time. Or take a 30min lunch tomorrow and stay 30 mins later. I don't know I'll figure something out.