Slightly different take one the 'slab' payment. (sorry it’s a bit long winded)
I am more than happy to pay for some help or assistance either in cash or 'slabs', buying coffee or dinner,or offering manual labour. etc etc.
How is this one for 'taking the piss' though.
And guys, please tell me if I am wrong....
Couple years ago, as a young fella left Albany with my dads new Engel in the Falcon planning on taking the missus north for a stint of cheap tent travel heading north.
First stop at familys in Perth, Engel plugged in to 240v at sisters house.
We stopped at Caravan parks tent sites most of way up and took powered sites if price was ok. Was in January, but with big storms in Esperance and a cyclone hitting further north we had bad weather all the way from Albany to Kalbari. It was cool and windy.
Wasnt till we got to Exmouth and weather subsided and it started to get HOT that we noticed an issue with Dads Engel. The Engel happily coped with the hot days after being plugged into 240v the night before, but we knew something wasnt right.
I took the Falcon to a local mechanics thinking I had a problem with the cig lighter plug, told him my situ. Local mech looked at the plug, confirmed its alright and fearing the worst, I asked him (urged him)to check out the fridge. He said didn’t know anything about fridges but would look at the cord. Confirmed cord was ok so must have problem with fridge. This freaked me out. How do I tell Dad I r**ted his beloved fridge and how do I afford to have it fixed?
I thanked the Mech and asked him how much I owe him. He said its ok, was nothing, get on my way. I thanked him again and said “no, seriously, how much do I owe you” he confirmed, get out of here before I changed my mind. I thanked him again and backed out still offering thanks and telling him how decent he is.
But not
But now the fridge was still cactus. My missus was somewhat consoling, but I was in for a hard time from the old man and an empty bank account.
I sought out a local fridge man and when I told him my predicament he said (rather rudely) he said was busy and I could leave the fridge outside his workshop or I could wait for him. I said if its ok, could I wait as I was not leaving the Engel outside a workshop and besides, the way I was feeling I was not in a mood to go see anything. I waited all day, sweating with the fridge under my arm outside the closed workshop. Sweating, Not only for the high 30deg(prob40) day, but also had a whole day of thinking the worst. Finally the not so friendly fridge man came and I carried it into the workshop, he turned it round and laughed. Pulled out an old fuse from the tray and said, “It’ll work now”. Turned out Dad had needed a fuse and took the one from the fridge, never replaced it and never told me about it either. I asked if we could check it and with my 12v cord it kicked into life.
Relief that it was something so simple. I never noticed, as there was no fuse there to begin with, so it didn’t stand out as being the problem.
I Thanked him and asked him how much I owe him. Expecting to hear ‘bring a few coldies’, pay a fiver or tenner, or a six pack of (x) beer. Even the very kind “get on ya bike” reply, which would have been appreciated but not Expected at all.
I heard, “a couple slabs of (x) beer.” (X= favourite most expensive beer, particularly named beer.)
A couple of slabs!! For a 50c fuse and 1 minute of seeing there was simply no fuse there.
Now this being Exmouth, beer is expensive. $50 or $60 a carton if I remember rightly. Even I was not drinking as the beer was too expensive for a young fellas minimum wage.
I was shocked, and asked again, “how much”, “A couple slabs of (x) beer” came the reply again.
Now that’s just taking the piss.
I said sure, let me get this back to the campsite to pack my food back in and get cold and I’ll drop em right round.
On the way back to campsite I called into the local bottlo and grabbed 2 x 6 pack of beer for the kind mechanic guy, dropped this off to him and told him the brief outcome of the fridge. He offered to drink the beers with me and we shared the 6 pack, nice guy. After a beer with the mech I told him the situ of the fridge man and he said wheres the country town attitude of helping someone. He said it took him 2 mins and no effort of expense to quickly check my car and said the fridge man could have easily just said, go get yourself a (x) amp fuse and it’ll be alright. At least the mech was happy to hear the fridge wasn’t knackered.
I sat and talked with my missus about what we should do. Shall I drop him in the second six pack, (which was my intention) but maybe he’ll get upset he didn’t get 2 x full slabs and give me a belting. He wasn’t a nice guy to begin with anyhow. Eventually, and I didn’t feel good about it, but we packed up and left town. Kind a left a sour feeling in my mouth. I said I hope the next guy that has a fridge problem doesn’t get charged 4 slabs beer, but come on, if he was reasonable I would have happily have dropped off more.
A six pack, I would have happily paid for. My missus was put out that he said (x) particular brand which happened to be some eastern states most expensive beer available there.
I think he was just taking advantage of a young naïve fella who was easily taken the piss out of.
Left a sour feeling for Exmouth and also people like him.
Anyway, if you think I am wrong, please tell me.
Cheers.
