Brush with "fame" (?)
Setting: Jackson, TN Enterprise. I was the assistant manager. It is the fall of 2000.
We had rented a car to pro wrestler "Superstar" Bill Dundee. At some point during the rental, the car had become damaged. It so happened that somebody had hit the rented car while it was parked.
My manager did not believe his story and asked Mr. Dundee to pay his deductible on the spot and return the rented car. This was Enterprise's policy at the time. No - I don't like that policy, either, and I do not know if this is still their policy.
Nonetheless, the former pro-wrestler was infuriated at this demand. (I would be, too!). My manager told him to pay his deductible, or leave the car there. Mr. Dundee did neither! He left in the rental car.
I was sent to the local dealership to get a key cut, then to go straight to Mr. Dundee's place of residence or business to retrieve the car. I did not really want to, but I did not want to get fired, either. My manager also instructed me to speak with the man and ask him to pay the deductible. I agreed to do so, but had no intentions of doing it.
As I was driving away from the dealership, I passed a gas station. The gas station had a car that looked like the rented one in question. It also had a little green "E" sticker on the back, indicating it was an Enterprise car. I pulled in and verified the license plate. I also verified it by the fact that I saw the renter, Mr. Dundee, pumping gas into it.
I waited until the renter went inside the gas station to pay for the gas, then I popped the car. Walked right up to it, got in, turned the key, and drove off. Just that simple.
I told my manager I found it parked in a retail establishment (completely true) and Mr. Dundee was not there when I took it (also true). I omitted the fact that I had seen the renter, because I knew I would have to explain why I did not collect the deductible.
So when closing the rental ticket, all the while listening to my manager in his office having a heated discussion with an irate professional wrestler, I had the fine opportunity to do the manager's bidding and put the "Superstar" on Enterprise's "Do Not Rent" list. The reason? Failing to pay a deductible.
I must mention at this point that less than a week later, the insurance company for the driver that struck the rented vehicle called and paid the claim. This means that Mr. Dundee never owed the money in the first place. However, my manager did not go along with my suggestion to remove him from the "Do Not Rent" list.
Oh, well. You win some and you lose some.
On a side note, on TV, Mr. Dundee was always billed at 6' and 220 lbs. I am 6'3" and 275. Mr. Dundee did not quite reach my chin - putting him in the 5'5" or 5'6" range. He was, however, in great shape. Both when I rented the car to him, and when I saw him after the rented car was damaged, he was wearing a shirt with his own image on it. In the image was him when he had some sort of championship belt. Looked kinda funny!
We had rented a car to pro wrestler "Superstar" Bill Dundee. At some point during the rental, the car had become damaged. It so happened that somebody had hit the rented car while it was parked.
My manager did not believe his story and asked Mr. Dundee to pay his deductible on the spot and return the rented car. This was Enterprise's policy at the time. No - I don't like that policy, either, and I do not know if this is still their policy.
Nonetheless, the former pro-wrestler was infuriated at this demand. (I would be, too!). My manager told him to pay his deductible, or leave the car there. Mr. Dundee did neither! He left in the rental car.
I was sent to the local dealership to get a key cut, then to go straight to Mr. Dundee's place of residence or business to retrieve the car. I did not really want to, but I did not want to get fired, either. My manager also instructed me to speak with the man and ask him to pay the deductible. I agreed to do so, but had no intentions of doing it.
As I was driving away from the dealership, I passed a gas station. The gas station had a car that looked like the rented one in question. It also had a little green "E" sticker on the back, indicating it was an Enterprise car. I pulled in and verified the license plate. I also verified it by the fact that I saw the renter, Mr. Dundee, pumping gas into it.
I waited until the renter went inside the gas station to pay for the gas, then I popped the car. Walked right up to it, got in, turned the key, and drove off. Just that simple.
I told my manager I found it parked in a retail establishment (completely true) and Mr. Dundee was not there when I took it (also true). I omitted the fact that I had seen the renter, because I knew I would have to explain why I did not collect the deductible.
So when closing the rental ticket, all the while listening to my manager in his office having a heated discussion with an irate professional wrestler, I had the fine opportunity to do the manager's bidding and put the "Superstar" on Enterprise's "Do Not Rent" list. The reason? Failing to pay a deductible.
I must mention at this point that less than a week later, the insurance company for the driver that struck the rented vehicle called and paid the claim. This means that Mr. Dundee never owed the money in the first place. However, my manager did not go along with my suggestion to remove him from the "Do Not Rent" list.
Oh, well. You win some and you lose some.
On a side note, on TV, Mr. Dundee was always billed at 6' and 220 lbs. I am 6'3" and 275. Mr. Dundee did not quite reach my chin - putting him in the 5'5" or 5'6" range. He was, however, in great shape. Both when I rented the car to him, and when I saw him after the rented car was damaged, he was wearing a shirt with his own image on it. In the image was him when he had some sort of championship belt. Looked kinda funny!
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