While attending college I had a series of odd jobs, that generated income and a flexible work schedule. One of these was as a repossession man for a rent to own company. Rent-to-Own companies allow low income people, with no or poor credit, to be able to obtain furniture and electronics through their version of financing. Many consumer advocates, such as Ralph Nader, have decried it as a predatory and unethical business practice. These companies have store fronts across America, and they tend to advertise heavily in local papers circulars on a weekly basis. You can buy a bed, sofa, plasma television, computer, or stereo system. If you pay the up front cash price, they are fairly competitive with other businesses. However, if you decide to finance, it might add 50-70% to the total cost.
Most of these financing deals, involve payments on a bi-weekly basis. If they are selling a television for a thousand dollars, they will be happy to finance it for a year. The Rent-to-Own company will charge you $60 every two weeks, which on paper seems to make it an affordable way, of having a great television in your living room. However, with bi-weekly payments for a year, that television will cost you $1,500 to own. Conventional financing is a lot cheaper, and it enables you to pay through the U.S. Postal Service or on line, rather than going to the store every couple of weeks. These deals make you an indentured servant to their form of financing, and when you do not consistently pay your bi-weekly fee, they will repossess the product you are attempting to purchase.
I got the job accidentally, as I did not dream of taking people’s beds and shelving units away. A job search agency had brought the job to my attention, and I noticed that the hourly pay was $12, which was pretty good for a broke college student. It also allowed for flexible hours, and due to the company’s supply and demand needs in repossessing items, there were some days that only called for four hours of work. The job interview was cursory at best, and the General Manager of the Rent-to-Own store reminded me of a sleazy used car salesman. He was overweight, smoked heavily, had greased hair, and a lingering scent of Aqua Velva that enveloped any room.
My first day was interesting, as the day started at six in the morning, and I met “John.” He was to be my partner, and since he was the company’s top “Repo Man”, he was to show me the ropes for my new profession. John was a gruff individual, and for not being much older than I was, you could see that the long hours of work were wearing him down. He had bags under his eyes, and his shoulders slumped in a way, that reminded me of Igor in “Young Frankenstein.”
After a cup of coffee, and receiving our list of houses to go to, we hopped into a box truck with the company’s name on it. It amazed me that the same truck that brought happy people their new merchandise, could be used to take it away after not paying a bill or two.
Before we reached our first house, I asked John if he had ever been attacked by anyone who he repossessed furniture from. Thankfully he had not, but he had seen a lot of yelling and cursing directed towards him. The first homeowner that we went to, had not been paying on his entertainment center. I was disappointed to find out that his apartment was on the third floor, and the walk up the steps seemed to take forever. We knocked on his door, and a sharply dressed man answered the door. He acknowledged that he understood why we were there, and allowed us to take the entertainment center without any problems.
If only getting the entertainment center out, was as easy as dealing with this individual. It was several hundred pounds, and we did not have the tools or time to take it apart. Repossessing furniture is like taking a car, with the exception of having the homeowners consent. It has to be done in an efficient manner, and while hoping that the family pit bull is locked away in a separate room. I had to take the bottom of this gigantic wood furniture piece, while John balanced above me. It was a horrible ten minutes, and by the time we got it into the truck, we were sweating and breathing heavily. I realized that this money paid a decent wage, due to this fact, and the fact that the next stop would make me consider if I was doing the right thing.
Our next visit that day, was to be a house where a television needed to be repossessed. I harbored no illusions that this would be a fun task, but I know how valuable a television can be in breaking up monotony and restoring hope. It is a lifeline to the outside world, with news and sports, and can be a “best friend” to someone who is a loner. John and I arrived at the house, which was in a rural area, and far from any other house. It was a bit disconcerting to know, that no one could hear what song this person was playing on their stereo late at night, or if there were gunshots that the police would not be contacted. A lady greeted us at the door, and while she was fairly attractive, you could see that she was barely making ends meet. Her house was in rough condition, and Ramen noodles were stacked up on a table in the dining room. Her small child was watching cartoons on the television, and I felt horrible about our assignment.
We took the television with no resistance, but I will never forget her son pouting about us taking it. It was probably the only thing he had, and we took it away from him, in a matter of minutes. John said “it was part of the job,” but I realized that I was not going to last long in this position. My conscience was having a moral argument with my rational side, that told me that I needed this income to take classes, eat, and drink an occasional beer better than a Natural Light. I worked a few more days repossessing furniture, but it ended as quickly as it began, as I pulled a tendon in my right wrist. The company treated me no better than its customers, who have fallen behind a payment or two, as they refused to give me a day off. They told me that I should ice the injury, and take some aspirin, so that I could get back to repossessing furniture. The pain was terrible, and with my discomfort of the job reaching an all time high, I knew that it was time to find a normal job. I quit that day, and while I guess someone has to do this job, I felt better knowing that I would not be the guy to do it.
