On Monday, I was returning to work from lunch--now located in the CBD, as I have changed jobs--and I was passing in front of Le Pavillon Hotel on Poydras Street, a few blocks from my building. As I reached the corner, I noticed some scaffolding, and looked up to see the work they were doing. As I did so, a rain of white paint began to fall all around me, ruining everything I was wearing, including my vintage reversible black ADIDAS jacket that I found at Buffalo Exchange right after the storm! Even though I realized this event has seriously fucked up my day, I wasn't really all that upset. I casually walked into the hotel and requested to see a manager. The woman behind the front desk immediately rushed off to find someone in charge. As I was waiting some jackass tourist, just checking in, asked me if I was a painter, or if there had been an accident. THAT pissed me off, as if it wasn't fucking obvious what had occurred. My response was kind of abrasive, and he immediately apologized, as if he had been the one to spill the paint. I kind of felt bad for snapping, but only for a second. I just hate having to point out the obvious. Anyway, the hotel manager appeared around that time, along with the head contractor doing the painting. This guy was clearly nervous, but he took charge and said he would handle it. We went to his truck and he asked me what he could do to make it right. I told him that $200 would sort it out(drycleaning and/or new clothes, lost wages, and just general pain in the ass damages). At first he balked, telling me he only had a $100 bill and mumbling about might having a check. He eventually located one, as I composedly explained to him the shitstorm I could rain down if I were to do what I should do. That is, make a complaint to the City, who would send out an inspector and issue a stop work order, causing him to breach his contract with the hotel, thus generating a few lawsuits, etc. He quickly changed his mind and wrote out the check.
Once I had the check in hand, I walked a block to my bank and deposited the monies into my account (it eventually cleared). Then the hassles really began: explaining what happened to my coworkers (while covered still in paint), lining my car with garbage bags to avoid paint transference, getting home, stripping down and then going to the laundromat to see what could be salvaged.... The jacket was ruined which was the most disappointing thing, but hey, I think I negotiated a pretty good deal given the situation.
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