What is wrong with people?

Seriously, I'm asking, what is wrong with people?

Ok, I know I can be a stickler about some things...but we all have our ways. I took my car in this morning before work (yes, I actually got up EARLY!) to my local Firestone for an oil change, new fuel filter and tire rotation. I use the same store where I bought my tires earlier this year.

In conjunction with making sure they will perform all necessary pre-arranged services to my car, I specifically mention to the man that I have a cloth steering wheel cover that they need to be especially careful NOT to mar or dirty up with their black mechanic hands (not in those exact words but he got the point). He stated that they use steering wheel protective coverings to guard against this. Somehow I still wasn't convinced but somethings you have to trust.

He checks in my car, I walk 2 doors down to the Jack-In-The-Box to have breakfast and get started on my homework for my bible study. An hour and a half later (keep in mind, I was only getting 3 small services done) they call to inform me that I am ruining my tires by not getting an alignment. They keep pushing me to get the 'lifetime alignment' @ $150. Huh! I inform them that I have a source to get a free one when I need it. By the way, 2 other trusted mechanics I've spoken to makes it sound like alignments aren't as often needed as these guys make it out to be. "You could hit a pot hole and need another alignment!" Whatever.)

So I pack up my books and papers, refill my drink and walk back over. I check out and retrieve my keys. Once I am back in my car, I am instantly enraged! Guess what!? That's right a big permanent black mark on my beige colored cloth steering wheel cover! What the H man? Have they blown all their brains from between their ears by standing too close to the air tools? If they can't even do this right, after I made a *specific* request for them to be extra careful....and to top it off, they already supposedly have a system in place which would guard against such things.....hello! It's like they did it on purpose! Is this too much to ask now, to be careful when handling someone else's possessions?

So I called the guy and let him know I wasn't happy that I brought it to their attention specifically ahead of time so this wouldn't happen...the guy acted like it was a surprise to him because "they use covers so that wouldn't happen." I was like, "Well, I don't know what to tell you. This morning it wasn't there and now it is. Covers or not, now I have to stare at it forever. It's not the end of the world but I just wanted you to know it's there." He reluctantly offered to replace it at his expense, of course, but I said that's not the point. There's a principal here. It's something so simple. SO SIMPLE and they didn't get it right.

I am not sure I want them working on my car anymore.