Pogue
Super-Earth
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2012
- Location
- United States
"Okay, that should do it," Stan announced as he straightened up, wiping his hands on a rag to remove the excess grease as he stepped back from under the hood of the car. "Just let me start her up and we'll see if that solved the problem," he nodded, making sure his hands were clean before opening the door of the BMW, sliding into the luxury car and turning the key. The engine came to life with a pleasing purr, the rough roar that the car's owner had reported gone now that Stan had made a few minor adjustments. "Sounds good as new," he announced with a pleased smile as he slid out of the car, glancing down at the leather seats to make sure he hadn't left any marks on them.
"Thank you," Mr. Meyers nodded as he listened to his car in appreciation, "how much do I owe you, Stan?"
"Come into the office and I'll work up your invoice," Stan replied, leading the way across the small single bay garage to the small cubicle in the back where he kept his desk. The garage was small but busy enough to keep Stan and his lone employee working long hours. He's started the business a few years ago, shortly after dropping out of college, turning his love of tinkering and innate ability with engines into a thriving auto repair business. At first it had been simply oil changes and brake jobs but over time, Stan had managed to become known for his expertise with luxury cars, the quality of his clientele rising as his reputation spread through town. Now he specialized exclusively in the high end automotives, catering to the wealthy and sometimes spoiled owners of such cars. It was one of the ironies of life that while Stan enjoyed working on the expensive cars, he couldn't stand the people who owned them, had had to work hard to hide his distaste for them in order to grow his business. Take Mr. Meyers here, Stan thought as he slid his lean body into the chair, pulling an invoice out from under a pile of papers, the man owned four stores around town, had two houses, and a wife half his age and would undoubtedly try to haggle over the price of the repairs to his car. "There you go, Mr. Meyers," Stan said after a few moments of writing, sliding the invoice across the desk to him.
"Oh, so much?" Mr. Meyers exclaimed, his eyes going wide as he read the invoice. He did try to haggle, trying to get Stan to lower his hourly rate but to no avail, finally paying the full amount a bit reluctantly.
Stan stood in the bay of the garage, waving to Mr. Meyers as he backed his car out of the garage, an insincere smile pasted on his face as he watched the wealthy merchant drive off. "Cheap bastard," Stan muttered, dropping the smile and his hand as he watched the BMW pull away. "Hey, Joe," he called, hearing his employee moving parts around the side of the building. "Joe!"
"Yeah, Boss?" Joe replied, sticking his head around the corner of the building, wondering what his young employer wanted. Joe was a nearly ten years older than Stan, and secretly jealous of the younger man's success. At 34, Joe dreamt of starting his own garage, secretly fantasizing about stealing some of Stan's wealthier clientele when he did manage to set up his own shop. Unfortunately, that dream was years away, might never happen, so Joe hid his ambitions and worked diligently for Stan.
"It's lunchtime," Stan announced, digging into his pocket for the money that Mr. Meyers had given him, peeling off a twenty dollar bill. "Why don't you run out and get us a pizza?" He suggested, handing the twenty over to Joe. "I want to stay here and finish up some of the billing," he explained as Joe gave him a questioning look, the older man no doubt wondering why he wasn't going to get lunch himself. "Thanks, Joe," Stan nodded as his employee headed towards his car. Stan moving back towards the office, determined to finish up the pile of invoices on his desk before Joe returned with lunch. He had just sat down at his desk when he heard the sound of a car pulling up out front. "Guess these will have to wait," he muttered, standing once more, his fingers running through his short dark hair as he stepped out of the cubicle to see what this new customer wanted.
"Thank you," Mr. Meyers nodded as he listened to his car in appreciation, "how much do I owe you, Stan?"
"Come into the office and I'll work up your invoice," Stan replied, leading the way across the small single bay garage to the small cubicle in the back where he kept his desk. The garage was small but busy enough to keep Stan and his lone employee working long hours. He's started the business a few years ago, shortly after dropping out of college, turning his love of tinkering and innate ability with engines into a thriving auto repair business. At first it had been simply oil changes and brake jobs but over time, Stan had managed to become known for his expertise with luxury cars, the quality of his clientele rising as his reputation spread through town. Now he specialized exclusively in the high end automotives, catering to the wealthy and sometimes spoiled owners of such cars. It was one of the ironies of life that while Stan enjoyed working on the expensive cars, he couldn't stand the people who owned them, had had to work hard to hide his distaste for them in order to grow his business. Take Mr. Meyers here, Stan thought as he slid his lean body into the chair, pulling an invoice out from under a pile of papers, the man owned four stores around town, had two houses, and a wife half his age and would undoubtedly try to haggle over the price of the repairs to his car. "There you go, Mr. Meyers," Stan said after a few moments of writing, sliding the invoice across the desk to him.
"Oh, so much?" Mr. Meyers exclaimed, his eyes going wide as he read the invoice. He did try to haggle, trying to get Stan to lower his hourly rate but to no avail, finally paying the full amount a bit reluctantly.
Stan stood in the bay of the garage, waving to Mr. Meyers as he backed his car out of the garage, an insincere smile pasted on his face as he watched the wealthy merchant drive off. "Cheap bastard," Stan muttered, dropping the smile and his hand as he watched the BMW pull away. "Hey, Joe," he called, hearing his employee moving parts around the side of the building. "Joe!"
"Yeah, Boss?" Joe replied, sticking his head around the corner of the building, wondering what his young employer wanted. Joe was a nearly ten years older than Stan, and secretly jealous of the younger man's success. At 34, Joe dreamt of starting his own garage, secretly fantasizing about stealing some of Stan's wealthier clientele when he did manage to set up his own shop. Unfortunately, that dream was years away, might never happen, so Joe hid his ambitions and worked diligently for Stan.
"It's lunchtime," Stan announced, digging into his pocket for the money that Mr. Meyers had given him, peeling off a twenty dollar bill. "Why don't you run out and get us a pizza?" He suggested, handing the twenty over to Joe. "I want to stay here and finish up some of the billing," he explained as Joe gave him a questioning look, the older man no doubt wondering why he wasn't going to get lunch himself. "Thanks, Joe," Stan nodded as his employee headed towards his car. Stan moving back towards the office, determined to finish up the pile of invoices on his desk before Joe returned with lunch. He had just sat down at his desk when he heard the sound of a car pulling up out front. "Guess these will have to wait," he muttered, standing once more, his fingers running through his short dark hair as he stepped out of the cubicle to see what this new customer wanted.