I need this guy out of my head!

First I need to explain that I have a phobia, an irrational fear, of violent crime. For example, when Ben was just about one we lived in Houston for a summer, we lived in a nice apartment complex, but the people above us looked like they probably carry guns. Everytime Ben would cry I would become afraid they would shoot at us through the floor for disburbing them.

See, irrational. And yet, in the back of my mind, I constantly fear I will be the victim of violent crime. (whoa, having written that makes me think, if I'm always thinking it, will I make it happen somehow. (Note to self: see shrink.))

So this brings me to the reason for my post today. I am hoping writing it out will make it go away.

Yesterday at work a very demanding man came in and wanted to know what was wrong with his car and wanted someone to come look at it. NOW. And no, he did not want to pay to have it checked out. I was the only consultant there at the time and a couple people with appointments came in at the same time as him, so I helped them first. I found out later that while he was waiting for me he tried to get several other people to come look at his car, they weren't technitins, so they did not know what was wrong and he called some of them idiots. Nice.

Anyway back to the point, when I did go help him he wanted to show me something on his car, so I went and looked. I recommended we have a tech look at it, and there is a $35 fee for diagnosis. He FREAKED. Why wouldn't someone just look at it for two minutes for free, what kind of a place is this. I tried to explain polietly and patiently the techs need to get paid for thier time, but that I would be happy to go explain what was happening with his car to one of them and see what they thought. For free.

So I proceeded. While I was talking to the tech, he came into the shop and started arguing with the tech about what he thought was wrong with it. So Lance agreed to go outside and look at it. Give him his free diag. Woo hoo.

A few minutes later they came back, they had stopped by the parts department and gotten a price for the part, and Lance was now looking up the price for labor. The man starts asking me if I will sit down and get a price for him. So I give him the price.

And he starts yelling at me!

Telling me how rude I am, how I wanted to charge him for diag, how I helped other people before him. The thing is, by now, I did have a rude tone of voice. I didn't mean to, I didn't want to, I want to be nice and give good customer service. I started out nice with him, I really did. But he had provoked me for so long, and I should have stayed calm, but he got to me.

And that's when it got bad.

I had tried to apologize, but that didn't really go so well, so I was done. When I tried to walk away, he got up in front of me and would not let me out the doorway. He was purposely blocking me. Showing his dominance. That he could control what I did and when. And it scared me. Two of the techs were nearby, so I knew I was safe. But to have him use a physical demonstration for whatever purpose. To scare me? Intimitate me? Control the situation? I don't know, but it did scare me.

I asked him repeatly to please let me by, Lance told him to back off, and he wouldn't. I wanted to push him out of my, but I kept my wits together enough to know not to touch him. It felt like minutes that went on so it probably took 30 secs. And I can't get past it. When he did finally move, I ran out and he left. I just broke down. I was so shook up.

And it was over, except it wasn't. I couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the day, I dreamt about it last night, and it was the first thing on my mind this morning.

Enter irrational. I fear he will come back and I will end up trapped in my office with him, alone this time. I fear he will abduct me. The only thing I don't fear is him calling my team leaders. I know I try really hard to do a good job, and most people like me and think I provide good service. And I know my bosses think the same thing.

So there it is. Cyberspace, please be my ballon, let me put my fear in you. Float away with my fear and eventually land in a field of thorns. Pop and die.

Thanks, Cy, I knew I could count on you.

*by the way, we don't know his name, but he drives a green SL2. So if you ever see a woman passenger in one who is signally you for help with her eyes. THAT'S ME - HELP!