Nope, not even kidding. Yesterday, I fell into a manhole. You know what I'm talking about right? We've all seen them...
It's the hole down in the ground that water companies use to shut off water, read meters, etc.
So after a week of rain, the grass needed to be mowed. I went outside, started the lawn mower and started getting the grass cut. I was on the last patch of grass and then BAM! The next thing I know I'm down in a manhole.
Outside of my house there's a manhole in the corner of my outer front yard, the part that's near the curb. The last time the water company came to check the meter or who knows what, they apparently didn't replace the cover all the way. So what happens when the cover is somewhat off and you place your foot on it while pushing a lawn mower? It will teeter totter the rest of the cover and you'll fall straight down into the hole.
The manhole was about 3 feet deep. I was taking a step back so my lawn mower was coming at me and then BAM, I was in the disgusting manhole, with it's rusted inside which had cut and scratched up my right leg. Thank GOD that my lawn mower didn't continue to run me over as well and that no cars hit me (since it's so close to the curb).
So once I was able to get out of the manhole, get inside, try to stop the bleeding on my leg and call someone I called the water company. FIRST of all, it took me 2 minutes to get through the automated system before I could even get the option of waiting for a real human being. SECOND once I did get a human being and ask to speak to a supervisor, I was put on hold for another 8 minutes bring this phone call to 10 mins without getting anywhere.
Finally the girl came back on the phone and tells me that since it's Monday, that all of the supervisors were on conference calls with all the other supervisors. Um... excuse me?!? Didn't you just hear me say that I fell into one of YOUR manholes and that I'm bleeding?!? She asks me to hold AGAIN. At this point, all of the niceness that I had left in me went out the window. I was mad, hurting, bleeding and needed to get out the door to seek medical attention.
Then a supervisor named Cindy with customer service skills as a wet rag, asked me what the problem was. Well Cindy, someone from your company neglected to cover a manhole completely and I fell into it and I'm going to need to seek medical attention. Her response, "I can't tell you if you need to go to the doctor or not." Um, I don't need you to tell me, I KNOW. Then she told me that the claims (or some similar department) would be calling me later in the day and that they'd send an emergency crew out to make sure that the hole got covered. Greeeeaaaat. Well I've gotta bounce to the E.R. now.
So I go to the doctors and they are in shock. I tell them what happened and they can't believe the response from the water company. They immediately get back into a room and give me a tetanus shot, clean up my leg, treat it and wrap up the cuts. I get back home and guess what!? No call from the water company and the manhole hasn't changed.
Um....water company, you haven't heard the last from me. I will be calling you and your negligence will not be forgotten or swept under the rug. Have you ever looked into one of those holes? They are NASTY! Rust filled and a cess pool for every bug and or rodent.