# Creepy pest control guy - do I complain? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 14, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473 "2011-06-14T19:40:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/21 "2011-06-15T00:03:00Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > I’m not saying he should get the Orkin Man of the Year award, just that he seems like a doofus who acquitted himself rather poorly. Perhaps the best approach is to figure that these things happen sometimes and let it go. Doofus would be if he JUST awkwardly brought up the boyfriend’s name/Toledo. But the fact that he admitted to trying to scare her ratchets it up to where it’s totally inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/22 "2011-06-15T00:14:44Z")
Yep deliberate creeping=bad service at best. Otara ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/23 "2011-06-15T01:14:35Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > I would complain 100%. He was creepy and acting in an unprofessional manner. > > I am like you - I’m nice and often give people the benefit of the doubt. I don’t complain. But I had a sort of similar guy with a weird attitude situation years ago: > > Our truck needed new tires, and the dealership was just out of town. They had a service where they would pick up the vehicle while you were at work, do the change, and then drop it off by the end of the day. The guy bringing it back was different then they guy dropping it off, so he called me for an address. (Some of this won’t mean anything to most of you, but it’s relevant later in the story). I said “I’m in the Husky Towers” and asked if he wanted the address. He said no, he knew where it was, and we hung up. The Husky Towers are prominent towers in Calgary, with big ‘Husky’ on the top (the oil and gas company). > > About an hour later he calls and says he’s out front. I ask if he’s on 9th Ave., he says yes, so I head down. I can’t find him. I call him, he says he’s right there…I can’t see him anywhere. I ask him to go in to the parkade right across the street from the building and wait by the stairs (self explanatory if you could see it). He calls back, says he’s there. I go to the parkade and walk up and down the full city block and a half of cars and he’s no where. After a half hour of this, with him getting more and more impatient with me and me getting more upset, he calls me back: > > “Look, _sweetie_, it’s not my problem you don’t know where you are. If you aren’t out here in five minutes, I’m leaving.” > > Let me tell you, just writing that down brings my blood pressure up. Asshole to the tenth degree, and I’m guessing it was because I was female that he felt he could talk to me like that. > > I ended up telling him to fuck off (for real), hanging up and calling my husband in frusterated tears. He made me call the manager of the dealership. I did, and the manager himself brought the truck in to drop it off. > > Guess what the mistake was? Apparently, 20+ years ago, our Calgary Tower was called the Husky Tower. For some reason, the two big towers in the middle of downtown that say ‘Husky’ on them never crossed his mind when I said ‘Husky Towers’ - he apparently also didn’t hear the plural either. Oddly enough, both are on 9th Ave. He was an old guy and didn’t really clue in to the name change that occurred years and years ago, plus he felt like he could treat me like that. > > I guess what I’m saying is that there are situations where you need to buck up and complain because what he did was not right. You can’t let people get away with bullshit. That story is absolutely nothing like the OP’s and the guy in it wasn’t acting creepy at all. He may have been a little rude, but so were you. Get over it, _sweetie_. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/24 "2011-06-15T01:43:39Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > I’m guessing he thought you were jerking his chain, just like you thought he was jerking yours. For all your high-minded talk here, it certainly didn’t seem to stop you from using a few obscenities with him at the time. (Something he, notably, was able to refrain from doing.) Let’s try to keep some perspective, shall we? I’ve read the OP and I can’t figure out just what you’re talking about. How was she “Jerking his chain”? What is the “high-minded talk”? Where did you read she was “using obscenities with him”? I hope you will reply because I have no idea where you’re getting any of that. OP, I would complain about him. Having a strange man in your home basically tell you “You’re alone here, and I know it” would creep me right the hell out. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/25 "2011-06-15T02:02:02Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > I’ve read the OP and I can’t figure out just what you’re talking about. > > How was she “Jerking his chain”? > > What is the “high-minded talk”? > > Where did you read she was “using obscenities with him”? > > I hope you will reply because I have no idea where you’re getting any of that. > > OP, I would complain about him. Having a strange man in your home basically tell you “You’re alone here, and I know it” would creep me right the hell out. **Kimmy** was responding to **EmAnJ** in post #8 and not to **LoganDear**. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/26 "2011-06-15T02:02:43Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > I’ve read the OP and I can’t figure out just what you’re talking about. > > How was she “Jerking his chain”? > > What is the “high-minded talk”? > > Where did you read she was “using obscenities with him”? > > I hope you will reply because I have no idea where you’re getting any of that. > > OP, I would complain about him. Having a strange man in your home basically tell you “You’re alone here, and I know it” would creep me right the hell out. She’s replying to me. And yes, he was using obscenities the entire conversation. Things like ‘This is bullshit’ and ‘What the fuck is going on here’. He was swearing long before I was, and I held my temper for as long as possible. Anyhow, guess my story doesn’t relate according to others. Moving on. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/27 "2011-06-15T02:11:35Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > **Kimmy** was responding to **EmAnJ** in post #8 and not to **LoganDear**. Wow, thank you! I kept reading the OP trying to figure out what he/she was talking about! ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/28 "2011-06-15T02:28:58Z")
I’m not sure why you didn’t call him on it in the moment. Maybe it’s outside of your comfort zone, but I would have said yes, you are creeping me out and it sounds like you’re doing it on purpose. Let’s call your customer service line right now and see how they feel about it shall we? It’s not rude to call out a creep if he’s standing right there in your home. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/29 "2011-06-15T02:37:07Z")
Complain. Firmly. Not apologetically or emotionally. You are fulfilling your responsibility as a customer by informing the company of unacceptable service. > [@kayT](#): > > “If that guy was working for me” is the key. This is the point. > [@LoganDear](#): > > My apartment is a pretty small space - about 200 sq ft on each floor, top and bottom. I actually don’t even have wallspace in my bedroom for a calendar (it’s windows all over and a double door to the balcony). This is not. You get to hang a calendar where ever you would like in your home. Don’t apologize, don’t even explain. > [@EmAnJ](#): > > And yes, he was using obscenities the entire conversation. Things like ‘This is bullshit’ and ‘What the fuck is going on here’. He was swearing long before I was, and I held my temper for as long as possible. > > Anyhow, guess my story doesn’t relate according to others. Moving on. Don’t you, either. And your story does relate; women, apparently, are still not being raised to be firm and unemotional in confrontations, even in those where they are customers. > [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Stuff in the bathroom that you make available to your guests and invitees (such as tradesman) is on display, whether you like it or not. _ **Especially** _ if it is hanging right there on the wall. And she really shouldn’t have been chatting with the guy, either, right? Just asking for trouble, really. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/30 "2011-06-15T02:43:26Z")
At best, he’s totally unprofessional. At worst, he’s sizing women up for assault. Given other threads around here, though, I’m guessing he’s read some lousy pickup artist book and was trying out its techniques. He needs to learn that, while it’s possible someone’s gonna want to get laid by the pest control guy, that’s not how it’s gonna happen. Creepy guys need consequences, and a reaming out by his boss would be a great consequence. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/31 "2011-06-15T02:46:02Z")
> [@j66](#): > > Don’t you, either. > And your story does relate; women, apparently, are still not being raised to be firm and unemotional in confrontations, even in those where they are customers. Wow, that’s totally not my takeaway from this story; my takeaway is that [some] men, apparently, are still not being raised to be polite and professional in conversations with women. The guy sounds like a stupid asshole, and he might have used any means to get at the customer’s goat, but he happened to use “sweetie” sarcastically, a usage that says, “you’re a woman and therefore not worthy of respect.” That’s a whole extra layer of bullshit on his bullshit cake. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/32 "2011-06-15T02:49:38Z")
Hell, I’m a guy, and if this guy was talking this way to me, I’d be thinking “Ok, where are my weapons and should I quietly move closer to one of them?” Don’t be afraid to tell Orkin “This person is no longer welcome in my house. If I use your service again and he shows up, I will send him away and never use you again.” I did as much to the City water meter reader, who, after reading my meter, asked to use my bathroom. When I went in there later, it was like he lined himself up for the toilet and then took a step to the left and pissed directly on the floor. I told the city this man was never welcome in my house or yard again and they would have to send someone else out in the future. Never saw him again. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/33 "2011-06-15T02:58:37Z")
You actually may wish to consider calling your land lord, depending on how big a deal you want to make about it. One customer calling Orkin to complain will just be an “incident” on his record and mostly unimportant unless he has several prior ones. If your land lord rents out lots of units he probably has regular service done (most rental properties will treat periodically with variations on region/etc) and if it is always through Orkin, knowing they might lose hundreds of visits worth of business over a rude technician could cause them to get very serious about it. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/34 "2011-06-15T03:44:12Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Wow, that’s totally not my takeaway from this story; my takeaway is that [some] men, apparently, are still not being raised to be polite and professional in conversations with women. Well, if you’re a man that should be your takeaway - treat everyone, particularly customers - with respect. However, if you’re a woman - especially a young woman - you should note that both women were treated poorly and did not/are unsure how to deal with it effectively. What similarities can be found? Women have to find the middle ground between door mat and BBB to be effective in confrontations and other power-struggles. Quiet firmness is very good most of the time; apologizes seldom are. (The OP did deal with a possibly danderous situation correctly, of course.) ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/35 "2011-06-15T04:25:06Z")
> [@j66](#): > > (The OP did deal with a possibly danderous situation correctly, of course.) Well she wouldn’t want to flake out now, would she? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/36 "2011-06-15T05:36:12Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Stuff in the bathroom that you make available to your guests and invitees (such as tradesman) is on display, whether you like it or not. _ **Especially** _ if it is hanging right there on the wall. > > If you don’t want it to be available to others’ inspection, relocate it to a private area of your home, like your bedroom. Reading the calendar is no different than reading documents on a desk. His behavior was completely unprofessional. He didn’t stop there, he went on to make comments that would make anybody uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/37 "2011-06-15T05:38:53Z")
Personally I don’t have folks over very often, and when they do come over they’re rarely there long enough to use the bathroom. So I wouldn’t think twice of writing something I didn’t want to be public knowledge on a calendar in my bathroom (if I had a calendar). ---
**Author:** ![dukette71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@dukette71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dukette71)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/38 "2011-06-15T05:49:07Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > I’m guessing he thought you were jerking his chain, just like you thought he was jerking yours. For all your high-minded talk here, it certainly didn’t seem to stop you from using a few obscenities with him at the time. (Something he, notably, was able to refrain from doing.) Let’s try to keep some perspective, shall we? No way! They were having an obvious (to both of them) misunderstanding, and he put the burden on her to resolve it in 5 minutes or be stranded. This is a crappy thing to do, and women get this all the time. I am glad she called him out. ---
**Author:** ![palacheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e57/32.png) [@palacheck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palacheck)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/39 "2011-06-15T07:21:30Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Wow, that’s totally not my takeaway from this story; my takeaway is that [some] men, apparently, are still not being raised to be polite and professional in conversations with women. The guy sounds like a stupid asshole, and he might have used any means to get at the customer’s goat, but he happened to use “sweetie” sarcastically, a usage that says, “you’re a woman and therefore not worthy of respect.” That’s a whole extra layer of bullshit on his bullshit cake. I’ve met a lot of female assholes too ya know. It’s not like enrolling a clueless asshole like that in Being Polite to Women **101** is going to change his behavior. Some people revel in their ugly personalities. I can’t even imagine remembering an anecdote like that. I can’t imagine crying after an exchange like that either. I’m not saying **EmAnJ** should have screamed the guy’s head off, or that she handled the situation wrong at all, but I think once you’ve learned to fight back so to speak, incidents like that start to lose their power over you. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473/40 "2011-06-15T11:25:56Z")
> [@LoganDear](#): > > And also with the hopes I won’t get the same guy next time. In the hope? **Make sure** you don’t get the same guy. Call the company, get their email and send them a written description of what happened, and tell them you won’t let this guy in your house again. Orkin is supposed to get rid of pests, not send them on house calls. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creepy-pest-control-guy-do-i-complain/585473.md?page=3)