So, when I was making myself breakfast this morning, I noticed that there was a message on the answering machine. I thought about playing it, and then decided that I would rather eat my breakfast and get to work. Which I did.

Daniel calls me at work later in the afternoon, saying, "So, there's a message from your auto dealer's service department. They want to make sure you know that if you bring your car in on Wednesday afternoon, they'll probably have to keep it through Thursday."

My initial response is, "Oh, okay." I was expecting that, actually. I figured that if that was all they needed to tell me, I probably didn't even need to call them back.

But then I thought better of it. After all, when does a car repair shop telephone you merely to impart information? They always call to either demand money or give hassle. So, I pull out the cell phone and give them a ring, and don't have to wait too long before I reach a nice woman in the service department.

We establish who I am, and she says, "I called you at 8:00 this morning," sounding slightly peeved. I explain that I was probably in the shower, and didn't get the message until later. She goes through the rigamarole about how they'll need to keep my car through the next day if I bring it in after 11:00 a.m. (which is really not necessary, since I summarized said spiel in explaining the purpose of my call) and then asks me, "So, when would you like to bring your car in?"

Me:(with a sinking feeling) Um, Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., like I booked my appointment for?
ServiceDrone: Oh, sorry, we don't have any open appointments on Wednesday. When would you like to bring your car in?
Me:(searching for the polite way of saying, "Are you telling me you gave away my appointment!!!!?) I'm sorry, I'm just a little bit confused, because I got a confirmation e-mail from your website saying I had an appointment Wednesday at 3.
ServiceDrone: I called you at 8 a.m.
Me: (considers responding with, "So, what you're trying to tell me is that your snazzy web appointment system is worthless, and serves only as a decoy to prevent hapless customers from making appointments in a timely and convenient manner.") Do you have anything open on Thursday morning?
ServiceDrone: No, we're fully booked Thursday. The next thing we have open is Friday morning.
Me: Okay, Friday will be fine.
ServiceDrone: (chirpily)When would you like to bring your car in?
Me: (considers asking, "Can we stop pretending that I'm actually getting to make a choice here?") What times do you have available?

We pick a time on Friday morning, and lo and behold, I have an appointment.

Sigh. It's not that big a deal, it's just that I have to spend 2 more days driving around in a car that just might have something wrong with its engine. And I'm just confused about why it was a matter of urgency to let me know that they might need to keep my car an extra day, but not a matter of urgency to let me know that they were giving away my appointment slot.

And I really wonder what might have happened if I hadn't called them back, and had shown up on Wednesday afternoon blithely thinking that my confirmation e-mail meant that I had an appointment.