It’s 3 am again and I’m awake. I’ve just banged out a few EHC for an order and I’m sitting here trying to unwind. But I can’t get a few things out of my mind tonight. Maybe if I just come out with it here, I’ll be able to sleep a little before the sun comes up. We’ll see…
I’ve been thinking about people and businesses tonight. About how different we all are in alot of ways and how my view of things isn’t necessarily anyone else’s view. About how I’d do things, if I could…and about the way things are done by others. I’m trying more and more these days not to be that “glass half empty” kinda guy that I’ve been for the last 20 years, but every time my faith in mankind is somehow renewed, something happens that makes me shake my head with confusion or disbelief.
Recently, it’s things like this:
I talked with 5 fly shops about doing give-away’s for you guys. Only one had the decency to email back and politely decline ( Unicoi Outfitters ~ Helen, GA). Another acknowledged that they’d not replied, but that was all – and then they “never replied some more.” The other three didn’t reply at all. All five of these shops I have visited and bought things from. Apparently, none of them could understand the concept. (Which makes the Hook and Hackle guys who brought you the rod give-away look even more like the geniuses they are…)
Another company keeps making promises, and then keeps delaying and making more promises.
Wendy’s can’t get my order right. Not one Wendy’s. Anywhere. In a month.
There’s apparently a fly tying event to benefit Project Healing Waters going on in Asheville. I tried to email them about donating a rod or two, helping them tie up some flies, or anything else I could do. It’s not that they turned me down or said they didn’t need my help….it’s that they never even bothered to reply at all. ( I guess they have what they need, but still – a simple “no thank you” would have been nice.) So, not only do I not get to help in any way with this very worthwhile project that’s right in my backyard, I don’t really feel much like promoting it either. ( Although I suppose in a way I just did! LOL )
And this spring, when I need more pine straw for the flower beds, I’ll no doubt have to load the stuff myself because no matter how I ask, the guys at Lowe’s never seem to want to help me load it. I used to work for Lowe’s and I don’t really mind loading it myself, but when I see them standing around talking on company time it makes me wonder how good my Lowe’s stock might be doing if they hired people who would actually work? How much better would your local fly shop be if they were all like Hook & Hackle or Unicoi Outfitters (who misunderstood the give-away concept but at least had the courtesy to reply)?
It also makes me wonder how it is that I can’t get a job, but these slackers ( the Lowe’s guys and other retail workers who have apparently never heard of the phrase “if you have time to lean, you’ve got time to clean” ) are still employed?
How do you run a business and not reply to emails? How do you hope to be around in 2, 3 or 10 years in this economy by hiring people who give you so little in return for the wages you pay them? How do you think you can create business growth and a future in any field by making promises you have no intention of keeping? The answer? I have no idea….
But I am going to try to get some sleep now.
Is it too much to ask that we slow down just a little bit and think about how we’re treating each other?
Don’t answer that…
Fly Fishing the Southern Blue Ridge 
First, I’m too busy to respond to this.
And B, seems like the February funk has snuck into the water all across the country. Once spring rolls around, we won’t have time to do reveiws anyway. We’ll be too busy fishing 🙂
Amen, to that!
Owl, you have much more lucid thoughts at 3 am than I ever do. I never understood the “no reply” at all as a response. I fully understand that many (all) retail shops as well as the manufacturers get deluged with requests to support various functions, far mor ethan they can ever support. But they need to at least acknowledge the receipt of the request. NO RESPONSE actually IS a decision, and not a good one on any level.
I think that there realy is a “karma factor” that works, somehow, somewhere. I believe that good things will happen to good people – eventually. If we didn’t have that attitude, we would all spend all out time shaking our heads, wondering “why?” when:
– the orders are NEVER right at any drive thru
– The folks at the United ticket counter would obviously rather punch you in the mouth than help you with your ticket issues, even if you fly 80,000 miles a year on their airline.
– You wander into most warehouse-style home improvement stores, with money to spend, but actually need to ask a question to someone who knows something about the area in which they work. (Better recently, but still woeful)
The list is never-ending. And, at least for me, this post actually DOES have a legit reason to be on an Outdoor blog – the situations outlined above are just a few of the many reasons that Il ove the escape of fishing, hiking, taking pictures, – just escaping.
So – THANK YOU, rude, inconsiderate people, for giving me even more motivation to go outside and enjoy what I truly love.
Hey, now that’s a better way to look at it! ( and I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way! )
Owlbuddy, you’ve hit the proverbial nail on the head about what’s wrong with this country. My solution is simple. You go to Wendy’s or Lowe’s. When your order gets muffed or you need help from lazy asses that won’t lift a hand, ask for the manager. When the manager shows up, wave a wad of bills under his/her nose and yell, “This could have been yours, but I’m going to McDonalds or Home Depot!” I’ve stood in the middle of stores before and yelled, Does anyone work here!
I tell you what – I have felt like doing that many times! 🙂 I am going to try your idea, but I’ll have to wave around a debit card! 🙂
Really? Imagine that…in the middle of the store! 🙂
Owl,
All that thinking at 3 AM is what’s keeping you up… trust me, I know. I can identify with everything you wrote. The most baffling one to me is the Project Healing Waters experience. It was small gestures and donations like the one you offered that got organizations like that started… grassroots. I think when they get too big for their own britches (read tainted by big money) they lose a lot of the personal touch that made them such great organizations to begin with. Why would they care about your little effort when they can get a big donation and just go out to Bass Pro or Cabela’s and buy all the crap they need. I hate that you experienced that. I have been thinking a lot lately about getting involved with PHW and Casting For Recovery (my very limited experience with CFR was very positive).
I think you’re right, people (businesses and organizations) need to slow down, put things in perspective, and get their priorities straight.
Sorry about Wendy’s and their inability to get you one of those new chicken “sammiches”. Maybe try going in and ordering?… and check your order before you leave!
Jay, that’s my “last resort” plan on the sammich. 🙂
As for PHW – I don’t think it’s them, necessarily although I do have to say I’ve also gone through their website to try and figure out where to drop off the rods, and no reply there either. This current “no reply” was from the contact form of the Asheville folks putting the tying event on, just to make sure i’m clear about who was snubbing me this time. 😉 LOL
Thank you for the comments guys. 🙂
NO REPLY.
that’s not funny. 🙂
I feel the Wendy’s thing. That’s one of the reasons I just quit getting “fast” food. And the fact that it eats up my insides like a hell-stricken vulture.
I’ve never heard teh term “hell-stricken vulture” before, but I sort of like it. It just kinda rolls off your tongue
Hey Owl, I think we’re doing the tie-a-thon thing in Asheville in fact we do a lot of Healing Waters stuff. More than likely what happened was that email didn’t see the right eyes…they always take volunteers. I feel your pain though, let me know if there’s any way I can help in the future.
Thanks Dell. I used the email listed on the official page, though. I dunno. Stuff happens. 🙂