see more dog pictures

Pictures eventually.
He got a 2008 GMC Canyon 4-door. It’s nice, it’s a truck, he’s happy. Franklin Chevrolet was good to me. The salesman and I chatted, then it came out we moved here from Auburn and his face brightened and he said ” War Eagle!” and the rest is history. He was young- like 24 or 25, very matter of fact and no-bullshitty. For those who don’t get it, connecting with someone who went to Auburn is almost like finding a long-lost cousin. It will Get Things Done.

And so it’s done!

In other news, while we were signing papers, the school called. Apparently #4 (he’s 9) got caught with a pocketknife. *SCREEEECH* What?? Yeah. Just a little bitty one, so they didn’t have to call the National Guard and Swat teams in. I asked my friend JerseyChick if the principal at her school every called her about her kids. Right…she homeschools. Oh well.

Last night about 5, Mr. Demere NeSmith, owner of Nesmith Chevrolet, Claxton, Georgia called me. He said he was most dismayed by my statement of what happened Saturday and what could he do to make it right? (that’s the condensed version) He said he could not fire an employee of 10 years based on the testimony of one person. I told him I did not expect him to do that, but what I wanted was for him to be aware of a problem and to do whatever necessary to see to it it didn’t happen again. He asked if he could make us a really fabulous deal on the truck I’d looked at. I said no, it smelled like cigarette smoke and I didn’t want it looking as tho I’d made a fuss in order to get a deal on it. I asked him to realize that most 40 yr old women don’t have the resources that I have- being married to a mechanic and having 2 sons training as a mechanic, and that it was his responsibility to treat them fairly and honestly. He asked how he could regain my confidence, and I told him he’s have to get Sweet Daddio’s first, and he’ll be a tough nut to crack. In the end, he left us his phone numbers, and asked if SD would please call him at his convenience so they could talk.

So, I fell slightly better, but I am still 99&44/100% sure my car was tampered with.

Today, I go to Franklin Chevrolet, to look at a truck or two they have. They have a reputation for being straight forward, but I’m feeling a little gun-shy, so we’ll see how it happens. I took the time to actually Get Ready (I don’t normally Get Ready for anything short of an evening party) by fixing my hair, putting on some makeup and jewelry, and putting on the Affluent Housewife w/ Brains outfit. But I tell you what, at the first sign of monkey business, I’m out of there.

#3 talked to his auto shop teacher (ahem, a retired NASCAR mechanic…)about what happened at NeSmith Chevrolet, Claxton, Georgia. Turns out they tried to pull a similar stunt with him. He let them dig their hole, then told them he was a (blahblah de lotsa letters blah) certified mechanic and HE DIDN’T THINK SO.

Apparently this sort of behavior is endemic in the NeSmith automotive collective.

I’m sending a copy of the letter I sent to the Better Business Bureau and to GM Corporation to Mr. Earl Hutto, NeSmith Chevrolet, Claxton Georgia, and to his superiors. If it’s an endemic problem, my letter won’t do much to change things, but at least I will have tried.

To whom it may concern,
On Saturday May 10 I went to the Nesmith Chevrolet dealership in Claxton, Ga to look at a truck I had seen online. I was intending to trade in my Chevy van for this truck. When Earl Hutto took the van out for a test run and appraisal, he came back saying that the engine had blown a seal and lost all it’s oil. He offered to let me keep the van there until his technicians could look at it on Monday. I called my husband to come look at it, and he left work to see about it. My husband determined that the problem was a failure in the oil sensor, and he returned to Claxton on Sunday with a new sensor, and replaced it. He also noticed that the oil filter had been loosened. On Monday, he took the broken sensor to work to have one of his mechanics look at it. He was told that the only way that part would fail in the way that it did would be if someone had applied pressure to it. The mechanic also showed him the grooves left by a pair of plyers in the body of the sensor.

1. Get #3 to the DMV for a replacement driver’s license

2. Write General Motors and complain in my best “I might be an attorney but you’ll never know for sure” voice about Earl Hutto, NeSmith Chevrolet, Claxton, Georgia.

3. 2 more loads of laundry (does this ever end?)

4.Sweep and mop, if I get to it.

5.Make sure #2 gets to his job interview at 4:30! WOOT! A job with skills required! More than minimum wage! I’m so excited for him :o)

SD emailed Franklin Chevrolet here in Statesboro, about lining up a couple of trucks for us to look at. He told the person last night on the phone that I would be handling everything, and if I felt the least bit condescended to I’d walk out and bad-mouth them to Kingdom come, that I’m just feeling that way right now. He assured SD that I would be treated like I had brains in my head. So, maybe it will be ok. I have an appointment to see them tomorrow around 11. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I just lodged a complaint with the Better Business Bureau about NeSmith Chevrolet, Claxton, Georgia and their sales person Mr. Earl Hutto. The first volley has been fired. By God I will NOT be treated like I’m some stupid little woman. NeSmith Inc. better start thanking their stars I’m not manic right now. It’s not often I’m willing to kick up a fuss but this…I am fighting mad about it. The local paper has a Sound Off column where you can complain about unfair business practices and such. Maybe I’ll write in to them as well.

then I’m gonna get me one-a them Brunhilde stainless steel bras and a spear-and-magic-helmet.

So then, Sweet Daddio took the oil sensor (the part that failed catastophically on our van) in to work. One of his people used to work in the shop at one of the local car dealerships, so SD took the part to him and asked a few questions.
He was told that no, under no normal circumstances would that part fail, and he (the mechanic) took the part for a closer look. He cleaned it up and said “look here, plyer marks.” The only way for the part to fail in the manner that it did, would be for it to be squeezed.

That would be Earl Hutto, at NeSmith Chevrolet, Claxton Georgia, who took the car out for a spin.

I wasn’t planning on naming him, until now.

I also plan on mentioning his name, Earl Hutto, at NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, Georgia whenever anyone asks.

That would be Earl Hutto, at NeSmith Chevrolet, Claxton, Georgia. How dare you try to take advantage of my theoretical womanly helplessness. You sad excuse for a man.

I’ve been spending time last week and this getting the boy’s bedrooms cleaned up. I like doing that. It keeps them on their toes and keeps me subtly informed of their nocturnal activities. #4’s room was first. Since he’s only 9 there were no nasty surprises, just a whole pile of cracker wrappers and some chewed up crayons from where the dog had helped herself.

#2’s room was next, no surprises there, in fact, all I really had to do was figure out which scattered pile of clothes was dirty, and which was clean. I just ended up picking them all up and washing everything. A bit of dusting, a change of the sheets, and 4 loads of laundry and I was done.

This morning I did #3’s room. His is the smallest of the rooms, but advantageously located next to the game room, and apart from the rest of the bedrooms. His mess was mostly clothes, a pile of .22 bullets, and the usual detritus of the 16 yr old male. I did find this 20 oz coke bottle with about 2 inches of brownish liquid in it. From a distance, I just thought it was old coke, but when I picked it up there were little flecks of something mixed in and I realized *EEEEEEWWWWW GEROOOSSS* it’s a nasty SPIT bottle!

ggaaahhhh….blech

So, I left it on the table next to his bed, with some other stuff. Which is equally damning but I won’t embarrass him over.

And it’s the good kind of excited, not the “brain fart where’s my meds” kind.

Here’s why:
For those of you who’ve been reading my blog a good long time, you’ll remember the heart- and head-ache we went through with #1, school, all that, for several years. He’s over that and out of the house now but from 2002-2006 life was pretty miserable around here. It was deeply disappointing to me to not go through the whole Graduation Thing, the Summer Job Before College thing, the College thing…all that stuff people in my position expect from their kids. Don’t get me wrong, he has turned his life around nicely, is supporting himself with a Damn Fine Job, and even showed up to give me a hug on Mother’s Day (I was sure he’d forget). So, for all his shenanigans of the years past, he’s doing well for himself, and even working on a future. I’m proud of him.

Which brings me to #2. Who is graduating with honors, even while taking 3 (count ‘em! THREE) AP courses-the hard stuff, too- physics, calculus, economics, and! He’s Graduating! With a cap and gown and new black shoes! With a fancy dinner! And Graduation announcements sent to family and friends! I’m so excited Oh, oh…he has a job for the summer, too. He’s working with an IT guy, installing new computer systems all over Sweet Daddio’s 2 plants. Yes, the company SD works for has a long and proud tradition of nepotism, and SD was encouraged by the owner to bring his sons in (it’s where #1 works as well). Now don’t be getting the idea that they have it soft because SD’s the boss. They probably have to work harder because of it.

Anyway, My Son, #2, graduate with honors, accepted with alacrity at Georgia Southern University, summer job doing Geek Squad stuff. I’m really, really proud of him.

and that makes me smile.

So, Sweet Daddio called me from work yesterday morning, said he’s scouted out a truck on the internet and would i go to the dealership (in Claxton, about 20 miles away) and scope it out, get particulars from the salesman and all that. Sure, I said, be happy to.

And so I did, it was a lovely day so #3 and I drove the 20 miles in Little Martha with the top down and the radio on, cheerful about the prospect of getting SD something with a bit more cache’ than LT, the truck I inherited from Grandad (a hamster-wheel ‘95 Sonoma). We got to the dealership, the salesman and I talked, and I took the truck for a spin. Very nice, I thought, plenty of room for SD’s big self, #3 sat in the back and said he had plenty of leg room, plus, it’s a truck. And the right color to boot.

I told the salesman I had an ‘03 minivan to trade in, and he asked that I get it so he could do an appraisal. No Problem. We I brought the van in, the sales manager said he needed to take it for a test drive and I said fine. While he was gone the saleman and I filled out some paperwork and chatted. When the Sales mgr returned, he looked solemn, and said the engine had blown a seal, leaked out all the oil, and he’d be happy to let his technicians look at it Monday.

*cue the Toot Bullshit Meter*

I said let me call SD, and see what he said. “He’s a mechanic” I said. The sales manager go a funny look on his face (then #3 leaned over and whispered into my ear “mom he just shit a brick.”)

So, SD comes over- a 50 mile drive for him, as he’s at work. 50 miles of jaw-clenching Celtic temper building up and I’m feeling (a little bit) sorry for the sales manager right then. He and #3 get in and under the engine, looking for the problem and there’s 2.

First, the oil filter had been loosened. Second, the oil sensor (it screws into the engine block) is broken. WHAT? um…WHAT? It’s a non-moving part, and Does Not Break. Fail, yes, but break? Not just no, but HELL no. #3 knows this and gets his “Oooo….someone’s in Deep Shit and it’s not me” look. #3 is the one who noticed it broken first.

SD looks at the sales manager and says “This is an incredible coincidence.” and the sales manager puffs up and says “Are you implying my integrity is not good? I would Never Do Such A Thing! We run and Honest Dealership here and I would Never Do This.”

SD says. “I never said that. I said it was an incredible coincidence.”

Ha…busted.

Anyway. Now it’s Sunday Morning Mother’s Day and SD and #3 are back in Claxton, fixing the problem in the dealership parking lot. There is no way in God’s Green Earth we’re going to let those technicians near our van, even if it has to be towed. He’s also checking that broken fitting for plyer groove marks.

They “let” us drive the Colorado SD wants, for the weekend, and I am glad for that because we’ve noticed some things that are problematic- leftovers from the previous owner like a pervasive cigarette odor, some intermittent and very irritating rattles, and a power surge when you set the cruise control. SD knows he wants a Colorado, maybe 2 or 3 years old, just not this particular one.

There’s a pretty red one in Savannah.

We’ve bought several cars over the course of our marriage, and this is the first time we’ve ever had anything like this happen. And this is NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, Georgia. It’s not a little Bubba’s Used Car and Tattoo Emporium. It’s a Big dealership, who ought not have to resort to such behaviors to get business.

Y’ know what I think? I think he saw a 40 yr old woman with a teenage kid and no wedding ring (my hands were a tad puffy that day), and thought he could put one over on me. And *that* pisses me off. SD said that’s what makes him maddest too, that I was treated disrespectfully.

Why do people, men, think they can treat me like the little woman, all helpless and aren’t they the hero for allowing me to use their shop at a fair price and how fortunate it happened when it did because, little woman that I am, I wouldn’t have known how to handle it. Phphhphht.

Anyway, that’s NeSmith Select, Claxton Georgia. I’ll not give you the sales manager’s name because I’m just nice that way.