It happens.
For one reason or another you didn't pay the water bill... and now your meter is off and locked.
While there are many customers who dread "Cut Off" day, I can assure you, we utility workers, dread it just as much if not more. Non Pay Cut Offs are the most hated thing I do. I find it utterly depressing and would rather do just about anything else instead of them. When I show up in your front yard, I'm not there because I want to be. Trust me.
I think one of the reasons I loathe Non Pays, is the conflicting position it puts me in. On the one hand, I am (trying) to maintain a professional, polite attitude. On the other, I am weathering the verbal assault being hurled at me front behind the security of your front door. Now I am a pretty easy going guy, and for the most part these things just roll of my back. However, on occasion we have what I like to call a bad day. This is generally when customer after customer just so happens to be home, or out in their yard, and every single one of them want to express the thoughts about you and your company... in great detail. It's very hard to keep some sort of smile or at least neutral attitude when your being vebally attacked. At least for me.
I wish you all would realize that I/we haven't singled you out, to turn off just your water. On average, I'd say you are one of 300-600 people getting shut off. On top of dealing with customers who are in waiting, there's dogs, other noisy neighbors defending their meters, that awkward feeling when a kid leaves the home you are about to shut off for school... etc.
I don't know what I'm trying to say here. I guess I'm just trying to tell you that your service techs are just doing their job, and its not always roses and sunshine for us. We don't enjoy turning your water off.
Except for you Ned.... Pay your bill.
Now.