Failure to plan: a parent edition

[Broomjockey]

*sigh*
SP= sucky parent
Me= your ever-lovin' Broom

SP: *holds up cellphone adapter* I need to leave this for my son, but I can't get him on the phone.

Me: Well, the most I can do is call his room, if you'll give me the last name?

SP: McSuckerson

*dials phone, hands to dad, goes to voicemail*

SP: Well, can I just leave this here?

Me: Sorry, no. We're not allowed to hold items for students since last year things left were misplaced.

SP: Well, can you call his roommates?

Me: Do you know their name, or phone number, or room?

SP: No.

Me: Then I can't call them. College policy says I cannot give out any information, you have to already have it (It's actually not just policy, there's a freaking government act called FOIP that says I can't do it either).

SP: But if you dial and then hand me the phone, then that's not giving me the information.

Me: Actually, since you don't know who they are, you'd be finding out that way, and that counts. I can't even confirm he has roommates under policy.

SP: Well, can I just go up and tie it on his door?

Me: Not unescorted. This is a secure facility, no non-residents are allowed in the building alone.

SP: Well, can someone take me up?

Me: Sorry, I'm working alone, and I can't leave the desk.

SP: Well can I put it in his mailbox?

Me: The only access I have to that is if I open up the entire bank of mailboxes.

SP: Well this is just no good for me. I drove three hours to bring this to him!

Me: (thinking) And you didn't arrange for him to be here when you got here?

SP: Are there any offices like the registrar's office open, where they're likely to be helpful?

Me: (thinking more) The registrar's sure as f*ck not going to let you leave your son's cell phone adapter with them (saying) Well, being Sunday I'm pretty sure the registrar's closed today, bu-

SP: Is there security here?

Me: Security's only here overnight, but they-

SP: Over where?

Me: Overnight.

SP: Oh.

Me: But security's stationed in the bottom of building X. They might be able to help you.

SP: Can you call them so that I don't have to waste my time going over there if they aren't going to be helpful?

Me: Sure. *dials non-emergency number and hands it over*

I then proceed to ignore him while he's on the phone, and after about 3 or 4 minutes, I hear "Okay, let me give the phone back to him."

Me: Hello?

Security: Hi? So why won't you take this?

Me: Because this is not a drop-off point, and the building manager and housing coordinator will not let us be responsible for student items.

Security: So, what does he want?

Me: To leave the charger with you guys, I guess.

Security: Oh. Can I talk to him again?

I hand the phone back, inwardly marvelling that the guy managed to not actually say what he wanted in all that time. About 20 seconds later he's off the phone (amazing how quickly things get done when people know what you want, ain't it?)

SP: So can I leave him a note?

Me: Yeah, but I can't guarantee it'll get to him-

SP: What? I can't even leave him a note?

Me: You can, but since I'm here alone, I can't take it now, so I can't guarantee it'll get there, since my co-work-

SP: I can't believe I can't even leave a note

Me: As I said, I'm here alone at the moment, otherwise I'd take it to him right now, happily (since it'll get me away from YOU), but since I can't leave, I can't guarantee anything. Now, just a second, and I'll get you a piece of paper.

Paper's not easy to come by at the desk, so I have to get it from our difficult-to-open-broken-ass printer tray. Takes about 10 seconds to open it. After 5 he declares he's had enough and marches out of the building, so that when I turn around with the paper, I'm presented with a nice view of his back. A student had come up in that time, and caught the tail end. We looked at each other, and I just go "Well, failure to plan..."

And for the record, it says in 3 places in the Resident's Handbook that:
1) We cannot give out information
2) Guests are not allowed unescorted in the building
3) Items cannot be left for students at the front desk, and mail without a full name and address will not be accepted.

And every single student had to initial a place on the Residence Agreement stating that they read it, understood it, and agreed to the rules.

[marty]

He drove three hours to give the kid a cell phone adapter? For that price in gas he probably could have just bought a new one...or two..

[BookstoreEscapee]

And every single student had to initial a place on the Residence Agreement stating that they read it, understood it, and agreed to the rules.

Which of course will not stop him from complaining.

So the phone went to voicemail...did he leave the kid a message?

[Broomjockey]

did he leave the kid a message?

Of course not. That would have been the smart thing.

[Apathy]

He drove three hours to give the kid a cell phone adapter? For that price in gas he probably could have just bought a new one...or two..

Seriously. His kid is obviously a spoiled brat.

I can understand the guy's frustration at his lack of options, but if you're going to drive that far, make sure your little brat child will be available when you get there.

[Onar]

In something of a defense of Mr. S- he was leaving a phone adapter (assuming you mean power adapter? not sure what else that might mean xD), and was unable to reach the kid on the phone. Odds are he had no way to 'make sure' the kid was around, that being a symptom of the problem he's trying to solve by delivering the adapter.

Did the parent also have to sign the book regarding the policy? Some of the particulars probably escaped him, and as he didn't fly off the handle, I say he took it well. Sure, he could have left the note, but with no assurance that his son'd get it, I'm sure that's the proverbial 'last straw'. Poor camel!

[Broomjockey]

In something of a defense of Mr. S- he was leaving a phone adapter (assuming you mean power adapter? not sure what else that might mean xD), and was unable to reach the kid on the phone. Odds are he had no way to 'make sure' the kid was around, that being a symptom of the problem he's trying to solve by delivering the adapter.

Did the parent also have to sign the book regarding the policy? Some of the particulars probably escaped him, and as he didn't fly off the handle, I say he took it well. Sure, he could have left the note, but with no assurance that his son'd get it, I'm sure that's the proverbial 'last straw'. Poor camel!

Yes, a power adapter for a phone. We *both* tried the room phone. Not the cell phone. Why did he drive 3 hours in the first place if he couldn't make sure the kid was there? He had a phone number that the kid would be at eventually.

No, the parents didn't have to sign that they read the book, but it does say that students are responsible for informing their parents of all policies, there were 3 seperate parent information sessions before move in. And no, he did not take it well. He had an increasingly rude tone, and pretty aggressive body language, and the little dig about "people who'll be helpful" was an asshole manouver of the first order.

Trust me, I've dealt with annoyed people who have taken it well. I don't post SC tales often at this job. I've a high tolerance for BS, too. This guy managed to set me off. This guy was cussed out in proxy by a co-worker I told the story to later. This guy, pardon the language, was a fucking asshole. As for the "last straw"? He could have just said "never mind, I won't bother" instead of "forget it, I don't have the time" (despite the fact that he had 3 hours to drive down and drop this off?)

[One-Fang]

Six hours.

One presumes he had to go back home, too.

[taxguykarl]

He drove three hours to give the kid a cell phone adapter? For that price in gas he probably could have just bought a new one...or two..

Or overnight the precious hardware.

[smileyeagle1021]

or his parents could do what my mother would do... if I told her that I forgot my phone charger at her house (which I wouldn't... I don't even bring my charger sense she has the same type as mine and I just use her charger), she'd tell me "that's nice, when's the next time you'll be this direction to pick it up... oh that's too long for you to wait, best go down to the Verizon store and buy yourself a new charger and I better not see it on your emergency card because lack of responsibility is not an emergency" (though oddly tuition is )

[depechemodefan]

I'm not surprised that he drove 3 hours, but I also think that it could be that 3 hours before his son called and asked for the power cord, and it took dad 40 min to drive to school, 20 min. driving around to find a place to park, 20 min. looking for the dorm. Or else it really took him 40 min. to drive, park and get to the dorm and he's exaggerating the time.