Oh the Joys of Car Ownership...

..and I do mean ownership since my car is now paid off thanks to a very generous Christmas gift from my very sweet parents! WOO-HOO!!!!
Thanks to my dear friend Whitey, I was informed a couple weeks ago that I needed new brake pads...like that week. (How do boys know these things??) Since I was leaving town for Christmas 2 days later, I put it off. After Christmas, I came home for 3 days then left again for NYC. So I put it off. Again. Smart, I know.
Now that I'm back for a while, I've decided to tackle the things that needed to be tackled 3 weeks ago first. Whoever said my priorities aren't straight clearly have no idea what they're talking about. :o)
I decided to go to the service station down the street from my office since I was due for an oil change and figured maybe they could throw in the brake service as well (I was hoping anyway.) So I walk in, ask for an oil change and tell the guy standing there I need new brake pads.
Wellll guess what...they don't change brake pads after 5. Okay. So I ask if I can drop my car off in the morning before work to have them done. This guy who speaks slower than I can stand says "Sure...we...open...at...9."
Seriously?? Who on earth came up with these hours?!? I don't know about ya'll but my "official" hours are 8-5. Which means at 9am I am at my desk. And at 5pm I am at my desk. So I tell him that (in a not much nicer tone I might add,) and in the same painfully slow tone he says "Uhh.. I'll... see.... what's... wrong... with... the...car." I wanted to ask him if he moved any quicker than he spoke but I held my tongue. My parents would be so proud!
30 minutes later he came up to me with a really proud look on his face. I felt a twinge of guilt for snapping at him earlier b/c maybe out of the kindness of his heart he changed my brake pads too???
Nope.
His exact words: "Ma'am...(I'm younger than you buddy)...you...need...new...brake...pads...." and was grinning at me like he discovered the cure for cancer.
Ya'll, I almost hit him. FOR ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THE WORLD, I KNOW!!! I told YOU that when I walked in you moron.
Needless to say, after pointing out the grinding noise (the. same. noise. I. pointed. out. to. him.) he insisted I bring my car in at 9. DID WE NOT HAVE THIS CONVERSATION EARLIER?? It's possible I've lost my mind but I SWEAR we did.
Needless to say, I still have grinding brakes. And an appointment to take my car to a different service station.
So please be warned, if you see me on the road in the next 2 days, stay clear.