Karma

I often have very bad luck when it comes to the service industry. My sister and her husband, for example, manage to find coupons, odd stock, mispriced merchandise, and other serendipitous cash windfalls. I, on the other hand, have SUCKER tattooed on my forehead, and the clerks (I swear) see me coming, and re-label their stock: "now, only twice the regular price!!"
**Sigh**
Today, after postponing the inevitable pain, I decided to start gathering estimates for tires. Because I had the ill fortune of leasing a car with 1) unusually sized tires and 2)tires that failed to last their promised 30,000 miles. Because the tires should last roughly as long as the lease, thereby not requiring me to put money into a vehicle that is ultimately not mine, this was not a purchase I had planned. The tires, by general consensus of Mobile tire stores cost $846.00
Gasp. That is the kind of price that momentarily takes your breath away. Especially when you realize that this car will only be in my driveway for another year and a half. Interestingly, however, the very friendly people at the tire stores suggested that the wear on my tire suggests improper alignment.
The thing is, I take my vehicle to the dealer for all scheduled maintenance and repairs for a few reasons. One, since the car is leased, I want the maintenance record to be beyond reproach. Two, since the car is new, any repairs should really be under warranty. (Which, in the case of my pathetic squeaky horn, is the case. New, full-sounding horn is ready to be installed). So, the dealer SHOULD have been rotating and aligning the tires with every oil change.
When I got my second $800-plus estimate, I decided to go to the dealer and ask why alignment should have caused this wear.
I'm dressed nicely today, because we all know that a middle aged woman gets nothing she wants when she's wearing sweat pants (unless what she wants is to be left alone). And, also, I feel more confident when wearing clothing that doesn't look like I slept in it. I've had my coffee. I'm ready to ask politely for what's mine and slink away when I don't get it.
I go in, armed for argument. The assistant manager of the service department at the dealer is great. She's a woman, which of course helps with the empathy factor, and she's really friendly. I explain my problem, and she immediately says that it's a problem for her manager.
Non-karmic me knows this phrase. Non-karmic me knows that this is where the manager says, "if you had come in yesterday or tomorrow or next week or the eleventh of October, I could have helped you. But not today. Give me my $800 and wait two hours, please." Non-karmic me knows this drill very well. This is where my slightly expired coupon, my holey sweater, my shrunken dry cleaning, is now all MY problem and the clerk has never heard of my situation, doesn't know what to do with my situation, refuses to acknowledge my situation, or refers me to a manager who will greet my situation with disdain, lack of interest, lack of empathy, and most importantly, lack of solution. Non-karmic me is prepared for this eventuality and braces for offense.
"My manager is in a meeting. Hold on, our regional manager is here. I'll be right back."
Regional manager? Non-karmic me seldom gets to the upper echelon of management. Non-karmic me usually gives up after shift manager, resigned to pay the full amount of whatever I owe plus the arbitrary fee often assigned to me as penalty for being non-karmic.
I wait.
Assistant Manager comes in the door, wearing an unexpected smile.
"Merry Christmas!"
I am confused momentarily. Is she going to greet me with a tardy salutation right before she socks me with the full price plus SUCKER fee?
"He said he's seen this problem before. He said to give you a set of tires."
Stunned, I repeat, "give?" As in, free? As in I don't have to pay nearly a thousand dollars for tires I didn't think would wear out but did and cost more than they should because of their unusual size that I didn't really need in the first place? FREE?"
"When do you want them?"
Feeling sheepish, as though I have approached this woman right before her final psychiatric break, I say, "now. Before y'all change your mind."
"Can't do now. But I have the signed paper saying free tires."
"ASAP."
My karma could run out at any time. I could be in a wreck on my way to the dealership. But for now, FREE TIRES. Karmic me is wondering if today's The DAY. Do I need plumbing? Electrical? Yard work? I should seize the moment before I use up all my good luck.