Lifetime Ban on Dekalb Industrial Ave NTB

Don't tell my Dad or my Brother but my car was long overdue for an oil change. This morning I had a simple plan to remedy that situation. Use the coupon on the fridge for the NTB ($12.99 - what a bargain!), be there when they open at 7am, be the first in and the first out, and be at work no later than 8am. I even called NTB last night to confirm what time they opened and that - if I was the first in - I could be done in "about 30 minutes." Yup - about 30 minutes.

So I pull up to the NTB this morning at 6:59am and the lights - in what appears to be the store -are off. The walk way wears a banner saying "WE DO OIL CHANGES." I am starting to wonder if that is true since, not only do I not see people inside, I don't see any bays into which you could pull in a car. But hey, people are late, I'm late sometimes too. That is cool. I am encouraged that I am in the right place when I start seeing other cars pull into the lot - one of which parks beside me presumably waiting for signs of life as well. So at 7:08 the lights come on inside. I enter the store and the man in charge continues doing his thing behind the counter and gives me the customer sheet to complete. I complete the information, omitting my phone number since I will be waiting on the premises for the car. He punches in my information into the computer and then points to the field I left blank and says with an attitude "uh.........phone number?" I give him the number and when I decline the super duper engine cleaning additive for an additional $4.99 he lets out a light sigh making it apparent that he believes I am making a poor decision. Since it is suddenly obvious that I was being too generous in cutting this man any slack, I tally the offenses in my head and we are standing at Strike 3.

I think to myself ...........even though it is pricey, the people at Jiffy Lube are much nicer and are actually open when they are supposed to be. And there is a coffee shop across the street from the Jiffy Lube too. Darn it - I shoulda just gone there. But I am here now and I will just deal with my choice.

Man in charge says "let's go check out your car." We walk outside together and he checks the tread depth on my tires. I appreciate the courtesy check but find it a little suspicious that all he inspects are the tires..........I guess I should not be shocked as this is National Tire and Battery. After I give him the exact mileage on the car he says nothing and I follow him back inside. He takes my key, I sign the paperwork, and at 7:25 some one retrieves my car to take it to the mystery shop to do the much needed oil change.

I sit. I sit patiently. As tempted as I was by the tattered NOV 2003 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, I chose to read my book. At 7:55am the service technician comes out to show me my dirty air filter (which they do not have in stock) and recommend a transmission flush. He is polite and I thank him for letting me know. I am silently grateful that he refrains from any scolding sighs when I don't demand that they flush the transmission immediately. At 8:05am my car is returned to the parking lot and the service technician deposits my file at the front desk which is currently unattended since the Man in Charge is out in the parking lot scoping out someone else's tires. I wait by the desk and when MIC returns he says - with aforementioned attitude in tact - "I'll be with you in a minute." While I am waiting, a new employee appears and he motions for her to cash me out. She does not say "hello," "thank you for waiting," or anything of the sort. All she says to me is "$18.50."

Thinking that Cash must certainly be the least painful way to get my ass out of this store in a quick manner I hand over $20. She steps over to another drawer and proceeds to start digging for the change but comes up with only a handful of pennies because apparently the cash drawer was never prepared. Meanwhile, MIC has finished with the other customer and directs the assistant to wait for the cash drawer. He disappears into the adjacent office and I begin to hear the plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink plink of him counting change. At this point I am so tempted to read this man the riot act about the poor experience I have had with NTB but know that will get me nowhere as this is the same person who thinks it is acceptable to 1) open late 2) belittle customers and 3) cop an attitude. I can no longer disguise my annoyance and with a tone of disbelief in my voice I say"Excuse me sir - are you counting out the drawer?" Blatantly lying, since there is no way that making $1.50 in change required so much plinking, he says "No ma'am I am making your change." The plinking stops, he reappears, places the dollar bill and two quarters in my hand. I say thank you and leave at 8:15am. Never to return.

Again - apologies for the rant. But hopefully you will find some humor in here. I bet NTB will think it hilarious........