Repo Story 2

OK - time for another one. Setting: same as last time, I was the assistant manager of the largest branch of Enterprise in all of Tennessee on Covington Pike in Memphis, TN.

The repo was fairly straight - forward. Renter had his car in the shop, and refused to come pick it up when it was finished. I figured he did not have his $1000 deductible. So I took a veteran MT (Management Trainee - read: slave-boy), whose name I cannot remember (sorry!). His nickname was "The Leprechaun." I never really understood why.

We pull up to the renter's place of employment. A little research that day had let me in on when he came in to work and where (this company was large and had multiple entryways). I speak for a while with "the Leprechaun."

Surprisingly, the renter does two things I'd never have expected.
1. He showed up early to work. I mean like 30 minutes early. Sure, he still had some fried chicken to eat, but he was that early, but wouldn't return our calls. Give me a break - I knew he was ducking us.
2. He pulled in right next to us. Now mind you, there are around 1000 parking spaces in the lot we are sitting in. Perhaps 200 of them are taken at this time. Of all the hundreds of empty spaces, he picks the one right next to us!

We waited, talked, and it seemed like hours. Really it was only about 15 minutes. Finally he put away his chicken, grabbed some headphones, and headed in to work. As soon as he hits the door, I am in the rental car and outta there!

Here comes the really funny part.

Back at the office, several hours later, we are slammed. That is car-rental talk for having many more customers in the office than employees (or sometimes cars). I am one of three people furiously writing rental contracts and checking customers into cars. The Branch Manager, Rob, is there answering the incessantly ringing phones. Phones only ring at Enterprise when there are customers in the office.

So there are about 50-60 customers in the lobby (a typical Friday Afternoon) and three of us writing the contracts. Most of the MT's are out picking folks up and returning them to body shops. I don't know where the other assistant manager was (yes, there were two assistant managers at this location).

Rob (the manager) answers the phone. No big deal, right? I mean he's done it 87 straight times at this point. The next thing I know he blurts out the following:

"No, sir, I did not steal the car. I repossessed it."

The entire group of 60 plus people went instantly silent. A small miracle in and of itself. Then one customer spoke:
"Did he just say what I think he just said?"

"Yep, I think so." I replied.

Laughter.

Evidently, having 60 plus people laugh at you over the phone will make some people really mad. This former renter was one of those folks.

My boss turns several shades of red as he tries to explain why the whole office was laughing at the same time.

Laughter intensifies.

Manager turns several more shades of red. Possibly even purple.

Former renter eventually hangs up.

To this day, I still remember Rob saying: "No, sir, I did not steal the car. I repossessed it."

Funniest thing I have ever heard in real life.