Kinda hate telling a story that's technically not mine, but it just happened and it's a doozy. A fellow tech ran a call on a damaged Kitchenaid cooktop (glass cracked). Arrived on site and was allowed access to the house by some security guy. Had a t-shirt saying "security" and was carrying handcuffs. Was escorted to the kitchen to check cooktop and was confronted by who was thought to be the customer. This guy immediately started in on the tech. Yelling he (tech) was incompetent, a f*cking idiot who didn't know what he was doing, etc. Tech looked at security guy for some explanation as to why this guy was so irate. Security guy just shrugs this shoulders and goes about his duties. Tech sees glasstop damaged, gets model # and leaves. Returns to shop and tells me what happened. I say "Yeah, been there, done that" and go about my business. Customer declines repair but wants new cooktop installed. Tech returns to site to install new cooktop. Allowed access by security guy to kitchen to start work. Old cooktop was caulked in place so tech cuts caulk loose to remove unit. Out of nowhere jackass guy is in his face again calling tech idiot, incompetent crooked and so forth. Produces a razor blade and while tech is trying to install new unit the guy is pushing him aside to scrape minute amount of caulk from countertop. Once done tech completes install with this guy standing over him and behind him with razor in hand yelling and berating tech the whole time. Outside the house security guy tells tech that the asshole in the kitchen is a diagnosed schizophrenic and was the son of the elderly couple who also live in the house. Turns out the week before we were contacted for service the mother had passed away in the house (both mom and dad were bedridden and had health care personnel caring for them). While mom's body was being removed from premises, the son attacks the caretakers. Mom's body falls to the floor and chaos ensues. Cops are called and quickly get son into submission but not before smashing his head into the glass cooktop. So now we know why security was hired to protect nursing staff and service personnel.
This tech played it cool and got the job done. He's ex-Army and can handle himself. But upon hearing this story at the shop I got pissed and wondered what I might have done if it was me. Walk out or rip the schizo a new asshole, one for each multiple personality. Being a former correctional officer I might pull security boy aside and explain the finer points of care, custody and control of an unbalanced individual (allowing guy with a razor anywhere near service or nursing personnel). What would you do?
