I suppose there isn't much to say other than the phone rang this morning at 11:00 a.m., and me being a complete laze, was still in bed. I guess you should know that I don't usually work on Saturdays, unless I have scheduled an appointment, and I almost always try to schedule in the afternoon.
Well, a while ago, about 3 weeks ago, I photographed the most demonic children I've ever had the displeasure to come across in my life, and the mother came back and insulted me every way she could think of. But I put up with it, because, well - that's what you do when you own a business. You put up with people's crap all of the time and you have to deal with it and move on.
So I tried to appease her. I tried to reschedule an appointment for her and her kids, where they could come in, fed and napped and in good spirits. Well, we scheduled an appointment, and then she called this week and CANCELLED. So I didn't bother getting up this morning, to be at the studio for her to arrive, because as far as I knew - she wasn't coming.
Well, that's where the phone call comes in. So I get this phone call from my dad, who just happened to be working at the studio this morning (building a barn-door for our barnyard kids segment we're doing for the rodeo, which consequently means that there are 2x4s all over the studio floor, sawdust, tools, dangerous objects...I've been staying out for the past two days...) - and this woman and her two kids show up.
"We had an opening, and since I'd already made the appointment originally, I thought I could just do a walk-in..."
Umm...
No.
But my dad was up there, and didn't know what was going on - he just knew that we were doing a re-shoot with her to appease her, because she was going to talk badly about US, even though it was HER kids that were atrocious...so he calls me and tells me to get up there to the studio ASAP - because she's there, ready to shoot.
Okay. Here's why this is a problem.
1. Lazy morning in bed means no shower, no clean clothes, no hair combing, etc...
2. I live at least 10 minutes away, and even if I did jump and get clothes on, it would still take me almost 20 minutes to get up there...
3. She CANCELLED!!!
So I called my mom to complain. Mom was horrified, because evidently, she had talked to the woman and knew that she was coming back in...but as our new January date book hasn't come in yet (which is a really bad thing), she hadn't written it down, so I didn't see it, so I wasn't there, so the studio looked like a construction site, but we had to do these people right for the sake of our good name.
So Mom says - "This was my fault. You have to get up there and do the shoot."
"But nothing is set up! I can't even walk into the studio! It's going to take 15 minutes just to get the lights set up, not to mention, we took the backdrops down to keep them clean while dad worked! Just give her a refund and send her on her way!"
"We can't do that, Jennifer. She just wants some good pictures. Just get up there, now."
So I did the only thing I could do in a situation like this. I burst into tears.
James comes running into the room, totally freaked out and worried that something is really wrong, and I'm just sitting there in bed, holding the phone, completely freaking out, and sobbing. He obviously heard my side of the conversation, so he goes "What can I do?"
So I lashed out at him, screaming, "Find me some jeans!!"
Evidently, screaming and sobbing come out very angry, and so he takes a righteous moment and tells me, "You don't have to take it out on me."
Which NEVER helps.
So I jump out of bed, still crying, and tell him to get out - I've got to go! And he scoots to the living room and I get dressed and yank my hair in a ponytail and...can't find my shoes. Because it's ALWAYS something. So James finds my shoes and my purse and gets dressed himself - he's going to come with me to help dad move the lumber so that we can hurry and clear the studio for these wretched people.
But he has to take his car, because as soon as he finishes helping dad, he's got to come back to the house to get showered and dressed so that he can get to work...
So I get in my car and drive like a maniac to the studio - I get there in like...6 minutes. And I run inside and start setting up lights. I'm almost ready to get the people in, when dad gets a phone call from James.
Evidently, his car stalled and quit on the highway on his way to the studio, and some old man has pulled over to help - which is the phone that James is calling from...so dad, who has been moving lumber goes - you guys finish this - I have to go pick up James, because his car just died on the highway.
Okay. Now I'm pissed. This stupid woman has caused me to wake up early, burst into tears, totally freak out, hurry and move lumber, and now - we have a dead car. I totally put the blame on her. LOL.
So I start the shoot, and dad goes and picks up James and they are dealing with calling the tow company and so forth, and the kids are just as I expected. Crying, eating crackers that spill over the newly cleaned backdrops...it doesn't go well. Again. Because the mother has absolutely no control over her kids, and her kids refuse to sit anywhere for longer than 10 seconds...The shoot is just impossible, but me - being determined to get them a good shoot - I just sit it out.
Eventually, we both come to the conclusion that we just aren't going to get a good photo with these kids and I unwillingly come to the conclusion that we are just going to have to give her a refund.
So I do, slightly ungratefully, because - I've done 2 shoots now, with her hell-spawn, with the same results. I refuse to take blame, and yet - I had to pay her so that I could be put through hell for almost 3 hours combined.
Anyway - I was unhappy about that, and she's getting her kids together and taking a full hour to make her way out the door. I swear - some people are more slow than...well, I can't think of anything slower at the moment.
But anyway - They finally get out the door, and as they are pulling out, and I'm sighing with relief, we suddenly hear this CRASH.
The woman, has backed into the big strip sign out front, and instead of stopping like a normal person, she just keeps on backing up, and pretty much rips the left side of her car off.
Now, she has two kids in there under the age of 13 months, and she's on her cell phone - I look over at dad and just watch the blood drain from his face.
OMG. We've just finally given her a refund, we've sent her on her way, and now we're going to get sued because she can't drive.
So we rush out there, praying that no one is dead or anything, and everyone is okay - thank GOD, but her car...ugh. Not good. It was ugly. So we bring her back inside to call the insurance company...blah blah blah. I don't think we can be held liable for it...
So dad stays with her, and she finally leaves, and I leave with mom to go to James and Shannon, who are now back in his car, broken down on the side of the road, waiting for the tow truck. So we all go out there, and finally the tow truck comes, and we tow the truck to the studio (about 2 miles), and we leave it there, because the mechanic doesn't open until Monday - and they have a fence around them, and there is no way to drop it off and leave it. So I hope that on Monday, when I call - they will come and pick up the car for free...they are right down the road...
One can hope.
But anyway - after all of THAT...horrific morning, I'm finally back at home, doing laundry and trying to forget what happened to me this morning.
Why me?