Because It Can Always Get Worse
I scheduled movers several weeks ago. Problem is, they didn’t schedule me. I found this out today when I called to confirm. I’m moving this Friday, by the way. They were able to offer me movers, but their trucks are booked all day.
So I started calling U-Hauls. Found a 10′ truck nearby—it’s almost certainly going to be too small, but it was all they had—and reserved it for this Friday. They require an Illinois driver’s license, which I don’t have. They’d accept my Indiana license if I had proof of being a student, but my U of C ID card was lost on the plane back from Factorytourpalooza. Called other U-Hauls, but there aren’t any trucks available.
Also, the moving company charges a helluva lot more if you don’t also reserve their truck—am working on negotiating this, since that part is obviously their fault—plus actually renting my own truck is going to cost a small fortune, since they charge a buck a mile, and I’ll be going from one end of Chicago to the other and then back again to return the truck. It will quite possibly take more than one trip, did I mention that? That the truck is too fucking small?
I had to get all of this down in writing because it seems unbelievable even to me. U-Haul will accept me as the secondary driver if I can bring somebody in with an Illinois driver’s license. My one friend who lives on the same side of town and who has an Illinois driver’s license is going to be out of town this Friday, and of course U-Haul won’t let me bring her in ahead of time to fill out the paperwork. NO OTHER U-HAUL has this stupid fucking policy, but apparently people on the South Side run off with their trucks all the time. Seriously? People steal U-Hauls? Because a) that would seem to be a highly visible and easily trackable theft, and b) you would spend bazillions of dollars in gas on the thing, although maybe they steal that too.
I’m getting ready to call other truck rental companies, but I assume it’s going to be damn near impossible to find a truck for August 31. Does anybody have any suggestions? Negotiating strategies? Baseball bats?
Also, if you have an Illinois driver’s license and some availability around 10am this Friday, please let me know. I will make you punkin chocolate chip muffins every week for the next six months, I swear.
Posted 27 August 2007
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Oh, and another thing. Anybody want to help me move some stuff on Thursday night? I want to get a few things moved in my mom’s car to make a little more room in the moving van, and because there a couple things I don’t want the movers to touch (like my antique desk). It’s all pretty light, but my mom has a bad knee and won’t be able to carry stuff up the stairs. Any takers? Again with the punkin chocolate chip muffin bribe.
dang, I love punkin chocolate chip muffins. But I think you live around 800 or so miles from me. Good luck and be brave!
Nuts, if I weren’t in Houston and unsure of when I can get out of here, I would take a little jaunt up to the Windy City and help you move. Because, as we all know, I apparently am a moving pro.
Hang in there schnookums. In the meantime, I’ll practice a little voodoo on the UHaulers.
i’m hoping you’ve let your mom loose on the evil mover scheduler. if you think of all the times in your life when you were ever so slightly embarrassed by her handling of customer service folks, now is the time when you can use her special they’ll-never-know-what-hit-’em gifts. i actually might even pity the poor recipient if you weren’t so screwed by thier mistake. try other truck companies, for sure. penske has great trucks, rider… are they’re any other moving companies? in indy, there are some indepdendants, like 2 guys and a truck. again, though, seems to me that the moving company should be more active in fixing this situation.
good luck. i’m sending you all the good moving juju that i possess.
Ugh! Moving is never easy. I pity the fool who tries to outrun a cop car in a U-Haul. Driving one is like steering the Titanic.
Wish I knew…. When I had a run-in with the U-Haul people in Galveston (ugh), I had to call Mama Bear for advice.
wish i could help because i love the chocolate anything muffins.
i bet you find about about a million of those furry mouse toys that clarabelle loves when the movers pick up the couch.
I sure hope so. Because she’s been tearing through my dresser drawers looking for them.