1/11/19
Start time, 3:30 AM. It was supposed to be the first day off to sleep in without an alarm in what seemed like a month and yet here I was showering half asleep and rushing to catch a flight with Paul. Sean with Transporterwerks was holding the coveted VW hostage, along with $40K, and we were on a mission to at least get one of those things back. With Bill the lawyer on speed dial, Bill the tow truck driver waiting for the word, Gazi holding an enclosed safe easy access storage space, and Sean's honest hardworking employees helping...we did in fact some way somehow land back in Austin at 10:00 PM (10 minutes early) and climb back into our very own bed a mere 20 hours later.
Just to be clear this is not just any VW. It is a coveted (at least by Paul, and at this point me too) 1990 Tristar half vanagon half truck unicorn of a car that has had Paul preoccupied for 4 plus years. The goal: simply to have it drivable. The dream: to explore the US and beyond in a badass converted Synchro campervan truck with the dogs and live out all the VW instagramer's posts!
So here we were catching a 5:10 AM flight just one bag in tow, nervous as all get out as to how the day (or really we were expecting it to be more) would unfold. I slept most of the first leg while Paul perseverated on everything that could go wrong and how/why this has happened. After a nap we landed in Charlotte for our layover. Paul got a notification that our next flight left from B4 so we mozied over first getting some breakfast (in retrospect thank goodness I demanded we eat, little did we know that would be our only meal til 7:30 PM). We were chatting waiting to board at B4 when I happened to look at the departure information which said "Chicago". We were going to Raleigh. Needless to say we soon found ourselves sprinting to C14 and having our stress level that was already a 6/10 go up to an 8/10. Nonetheless we made it for the 30 minute flight to Raleigh during which we sat in silence both nervously "preparing" for the impending surprise arrival to Transporterwerks. That's right, Sean had no idea we were coming. Despite numerous emails stating he would like his car back, Sean had elusively responded and consistently pushed to keep working on the VW
When we were dropped off at the shop, I called Bill the tow truck driver thinking surely we would be ready to have the VW towed in ~ one hour. He was happy to come to us then. So with two recorders recording, we walked into the shop office to find Sean and his wife settling in for what they thought was going to be a typical low key Friday. Sean had lethargic body language but you could see in his face the surprise and dread of our presence. He took us to see the car, that looked roughly the same as it did a year ago. Yes a full year and 4 months have past since Sean has had the car and little to no work has actually been accomplished. There was a tarp over the bed of the truck all of the insides were removed, the original wheels had been replaced old used wheels. Apparently this was to not get paint on Paul's original wheels. After the initial scan of the car (at least it was there) we went back to Sean's office to talk business, this was what Sean was dreading.
Just to paint the scene, the office is a typical mechanic's office, messy but you assume organized to an extent, smells like car, old used office chairs scattered, and then two big Irish setters who were so very friendly it took Sean holding Ellie to not literally but dog hugging Paul throughout the conversation. Sean is in his mid to late 50s and has bad kyphotic posture. He wear black jeans and a flannel (same as when we saw him last November 2017) and a beanie. He's punily telling us how him and his wife have been suffering from a virus; this is also his excuse for not responding to Paul's email, questionable to say the least.
So with me sitting right behind Paul but both in front of Sean, the awkward conversation of us choosing to withdraw Transporterwerks' care of the VW and ask for a refund of what jobs have not been accomplished begins. And I say begin because we would've never dreamed that simple of a conversation could carry on from 10:30 AM right up to 4:00 PM, taking various twists and turns, but ultimately the exact same conversation.
The office discussion with Sean was interesting to say the least and in the end when Paul said he would like to take his car today, Sean claimed there was no way that was possible. "That's going to take time. All the parts aren't here. It'll take at least 2 guys 6-8 hours to get everything together cause I want to do it right. I mean I want to make sure whoever reassembles your car can do it easily. I just want to do it right, and that takes time." Then I asked what the charge would be for said work, "well at least 6-800 dollars, that's a lot of work getting all the parts and putting them in the right spot. I mean we have to put your door panels on, if they are just laying around they will warp. This is way more complicated then just putting it all on the back of the car." So at this point Paul shares that an attorney has already been contacted and if there is not an itemized list and the car ready to go in two weeks (as this is how long Sean claimed it would take) then action would be taken. At this point it was very clear that no matter what we were going to take everything that we possibly could today, Sean was clearly untrustworthy to say the least.
Paul asked to look at the car some more, and so we left Sean's office and went back into the shop with me whispering "Paul, we are taking everything we can today for sure." When we walked up to the car the bed of the truck had been untarped, which was odd considering no one should be working on the car as of almost a month. The bed had clearly been primed and there was a lone employee in the back. Paul casually started a conversation with who we soon discovered was Connor. And through this conversation the gut feeling of Sean's untrustworthiness was solidified. Connor revealed to us in the most innocent way that in fact all of the parts to the car were on the premise, he showed us everything, and that it would only take an hour or two to get all the boxes together ready to move on if we so choose.
Poor Connor. What a sad and hard truth that so many honest, hard working, kind hearted people work for lying, manipulative, and ill-willed employers. However he was also one of the many lights throughout the day that ultimately made the success versus a failure. So we asked Connor if he could help us pack up all the parts to the car and prep it to leave. He said sure. Then Paul asked "Do you think Sean is going to let you do that?" So Connor goes to talk to Josh (a midlevel manager) and also Sean. We wait, plotting out an execution plan to get the car out of there.
Connor and Josh came back and started putting things back on the truck. Meanwhile I went to get a Uhaul for any boxes or parts that couldn't fit in the car. My Lift driver De'Ja was another light throughout the day. She asked me about my day and I ended up sharing the whole story. She jumped right on the wagon and was pissed and amazed with me, which felt so good considering I hadn't had a chance to verbalize what was going on all day. I got the Uhaul, gave mom an update and headed to get Sean's employees lunch, because once again we would not have been getting the car together without them.
Upon my return, there are now a total of 4 employees working on getting the car together, Connor, Mike, Taylor, and Josh. Things were looking like they were making good time so it seems feasible the truck would be ready when the tow truck arrived. Bill the tow truck driver pulled into the shop yard and as I walked to meet him Sean cut me off stating "It'll be hours before the car is ready, there's no reason for you to be here now." I made eye contact with Bill and as Sean walked away from the awkwardness I told Bill, "This is a very strange situation, he does not want us to take our car." Bill immediately advised to get the authority involved because he has seen this before, but he agreed, there was no way towing was going to happen anytime soon. So he kindly left and said he would return whenever I needed.
So then we are curious, what is the hold up. The four guys are saying it'll only take ~30 more minutes to finish packing the truck while Sean is saying it will take hours. But why? Josh then informs us that Sean wants us to sign a release form prior to taking our car. Now, let it be known for better or for worse, no papers of any sorts had been signed to initiate work. No worries or concerns from Paul or Sean for that matter about exchanging large amounts of money and leaving the love of Paul's life (his car) in the hands of an all but stranger. So why now Sean? And also, there was no way in hell we were signing anything. So I gave Paul a 15 minute time limit, because at this point Sean had made the guys stop working until the release form was signed.
When 15 minutes was up I went to talk to Sean who was awkwardly perched on a stool looking at his phone. I tapped on the window he walked to the door saying "Listen, it's going to take time, we're working on the form but you're just going to have to wait." I informed him plainly that there is no need for the form as we will not be signing it regardless of what it says. This was upsetting to Sean because it also meant that he wouldn't have Paul's signature letting Sean keep the money he already has and maybe even get some more! He immediately says, "It's just not fair for you to not sign anything, I mean how do I know you're not going to sue me after you leave?" How interesting right? He knows well and good there's a reason to be worried about us suing, and yet he thinks we would be dumb enough to waive our right to do that for his sake!!
Paul and I finish packing the car as the guys are still hiding away per Sean's orders. I ask Josh when I see him if he could move the van that will be in the way when Bill returns to tow the car. He informs me that he's been instructed by Sean to not move any vehicles. Regardless I call Bill to return because if push comes to shove we will call the police, plus we have a 6:10 PM flight to catch and at this point it was close to 3:00 PM. I go back to talk to Sean and his wife intercepts me. She again is repeating the need for us to sign the release form just for fairness sake. I tell her we still don't even know what they have done to the car at this point as we have yet to get an itemized list. She scurries away to make one.
Forty-five minutes later, Bill has arrived with the tow truck and Sean's wife is showing me the itemized invoice as well as a calculated amount of $34,650 she claims is the total work that has been done to the car. While I know this is total bs, Paul starts to confront Sean's wife about the numbers. I give him an elbow jab, because it truly doesn't matter at this point. I thank Sean's wife for the information and tell her we will look over it and get back to her. Bill starts to back the tow truck up to hook up the car. Sean stands in the way saying, "You can't leave, there's a billing dispute that needs to be settled." Paul then replies "Elizabeth why don't you film this and we can put on instagram that Sean won't let his customers take their cars." This made Sean move real quick as we all know if his beloved instagram was ruined it would take a huge toll on his business. Paul goes to leave only to find the gate to the shop has been closed; it had been open all day until we were trying to leave. Paul goes ahead to the Uhaul storage unit and Bill and I finish hooking up the car.
Bill and I have small chat on our drive. And he ends up sharing the most beautiful life/marriage advice: don't cause too many wound to each other. Following his advice was a story about a young kid who couldn't control his temper. His dad told him he had to go hammer a nail in a tree every time his loses his temper. The kid does this for several months until he starts to control his temper. Then his dad tells him to start removing a nail every time he does not lose his temper. The boy does this as well and after a month or so all the nails have been removed. The day then tells his son to look at the tree and say what he sees. The little boy says, "I see a lot of holes." The dad replies yes and explains that while you can grow and change, you cause wounds that don't necessarily go away. I'm going to cherish this advice, and do my best to put it into motion in mine and Paul's relationship.
We arrive at Uhaul, and the storage unit is ready and waiting for us. We drop off the car and jump in a lyft at 5:00PM with just the exact amount of time to make our flight home. There was so much for Paul and I to decompress and so many feelings that we honestly just couldn't exactly explain. Regardless, the main take away from our 20 hour adventure was 1) there is something/someone bigger and 2) we, Paul and I, make a pretty epic team which is something we do not want to take for granted.
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