The doorbell rings at 0900. I look through the peep hole. There he is standing on our doorstep, cigarette in mouth, belly hanging out, work belt in hand. I am caught off guard as we are not expecting anyone.
"Can I help you"? I ask, through the door.
"Ma'am I am here to change your meter on the side of the house"
" I didn't get any sort of notification of this" I answer
"well, we have been around doing every one in your neighborhood" he said
"look I can't talk to you through the door, can you open up "?
Okay, this is where I stop to think..First off, we got no notice, and second I haven't seen squat going on in our neighborhood. I am not opening the door to some stranger, no way NOT ME. Every possible scenario blazes through my mind. Ruger is at my side, and the Mosin, well, he is in the sun room stretched out napping..
I tell the guy to wait, and yell for Senior..
Now during this time I notice him in our front yard pacing, shaking his head and smoking. Ruger is giving him the stare down through the window. His frustration is mounting, I am sure I've been called every name in the book, he shakes his head and stalks off moving to the next house.
We call the power company, and yes indeed the story checks out. They are updating the residential meters. They said they emailed and sent a letter out in December- I clearly never saw it, and have gone through all the old emails and there was no mention of the work. Nor did I find a letter.
Anyways, as of yet the worker has not returned and I doubt he will. I hope the power company sends some one else out to replace our meter. Senior said he was happy with my reaction, and too bad if the guy is ticked off..he will just have to get over it..
-JUGM
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ReplyDeleteAbsolutely.... don't ever allow a stranger into your home. You lose a vast amount of control as soon as you allow him in. Remember Duke's MIL?
DeleteUnless I am expecting company, I don't open the door.
Oh Matt I know all about Dukes MIL..so sad. I definantly would rather be a A-Hole then not to people I am not expecting.
DeleteA-hole is good with me. It's my middle name when it comes to my home. Other than family and super close friends, I don't let people in my home. Every one else is sent on their way immediately. It sounds extreme, but then again we are living in a crazy world where crap can happen in an instant.
DeleteIf the power company doesn't educate it's people about how it looks to people who might be home alone when they knock on someone's door it's doing a disservice to it's workers, potentially a dangerous one.
ReplyDeleteMy first impression was " he looked like Shrek with a cigarette".... And he had the worst attitude about it. Instead of saying "Ma'am feel free to call and verify and I will come back".. he chose to be anally retentive- and still as has not shown up.
DeleteNot to say that the clean cut guy with his shirt tucked in and a company truck parked in plain view doesn't bear verifying but if you look like the stereotype of scuzzy robber/in-home rapist people will make judgments.
DeleteI know, how do you tell a bad guy from a good guy????? every one looks the same
DeleteI would not have opened the door either.
ReplyDeleteI am nervous here at the apartment. A person was suppose to come and spray for bugs. He did not knock and entered my apartment. My dog quickly ran him out of the door. I complained at the office and they told me he had told them he knocked. He had also walked into the lady down the ways apartment and she was walking out of the shower. This man had keys to ALL APARTMENTS and no rep from the apartment was with him. The office feels that they can and do give master keys to anyone who is "suppose" to be doing work around the place. If I don't answer, they just can walk in.
We lived in Apartments for years, and I always hated that. More then once I would get creeped out. You know you can get an alarm system for apartments. Some of the companies will set up service for you. I would check in to it.
DeletePut a chain on the door or on of those sticks that slides under the doorknob. Those should fix that problem.
DeleteSounds like they are installing the new "Smart Meter" it monitors how much power you use and I think it can even know what appliance is using it, but not sure on that one..I heard about these via our local news. They monitor your power usage in real time and report it back to a central company. From what I understand you can opt out of this meter at this point anyway. I would check and see if that is what they are installing and if I were you I would opt out!
ReplyDeleteHere is a couple articles about them..Just google smart meters to read much more.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec12/meters_07-20.html
http://www.electronichouse.com/article/are_smart_meters_a_bad_idea/
In many places the power companies get darn ugly about insisting that they be installed.
DeleteThanks for that info. That is exactly what they are installing. But I think we are too late for the "opt out" apparantly it had to be done by a certain date... I guess we are just screwed.
DeleteYou did exactly the right thing.
ReplyDeleteWell done Lady!
ReplyDeleteWell thats scary! Glad you didn't open the door!
ReplyDeleteI'll with Senior - you did exactly what you were supposed to do, good job!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you to check it out before you let anyone in.
ReplyDeletebetty
Thanks everyone.. With the way things are these days no way I was letting him or going outside.. Now I am worried about these dang "Smart Meters"
ReplyDeleteGood for you!!!! Excellent! Wish more people would take the same course of action as you did!
ReplyDeleteOutstanding, So you piss of the power company. I would want my wife to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI would have handled it the same way. :)
ReplyDelete