"INTJ with spontaneity" boards pet

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What does it mean to be a master-advance-planner who's nonetheless likely to adapt, improve, or otherwise drastically change at nearly every phase of a decision?

Several months ago, I was driving around a back road in north SeaTac when I came upon a fancy new-ish pet boarding facility. I went home and mentioned to the family: "hey, there's a swanky new boarding place in north SeaTac, up on 140-somethingth, but I don't remember what it's called."

The family replied: "oh, yes, '! Up on 140-somethingth! We've boarded our dog there and they're fantastic! Yes, we're pretty sure they take cats, too."

Owning, as I do, a beloved cat, and having, as I did, a monthlong vacation planned, I promptly Googled the place, read up, and made a reservation. Not just made a reservation, but negotiated a long-term stay discount, stocked up on Archie's foods, and scheduled a vet checkup for him beforehand. On the place's website they were offering general facility tours, which I didn't bother with because I'd seen the exterior (swanky) and had a positive recommendation. I was pleasantly surprised at how affordable the rates were, too. Greg promised Archie he'd get a month at the spa.

Today, the morning of the day I leave on said monthlong trip, I get in several one-last-cuddles with Archie, bundle him into his carrier, pick up the bag of food, treats, bedding and toys, and head off to the boarding place.

Except when we pull up, the name of the place I have driven to doesn't match the name of the place I reserved with.

WTF?

I whip out my handy Treo 700wx, fire up Internet Explorer, Google, and hunt down the reserved place. Sure enough, it exists... right up the street. In north SeaTac. On 140-somethingth. A different 140-somethingth. I drive the quarter-mile.

Let's just say the newly-discovered actually-reserved place doesn't look quite as swank.

Crap.

Well, what's reserved is reserved. I go in, register Archie, and delightfully wonderful staff members whisk him away to his room in the cat area while I pre-pay for his month stay. On my way out, I ask to see where he's staying and say a last "bye".

The indoor heated cat room is nestled between the dog runs and the dog grooming area, with constant loud barking from both sides. Archie's home for a month is basically a 4x3 plywood box with a couple of wire mesh portholes. The staff promise to play with him and love him frequently, which I believe, but still my heart sinks. I have erred badly.

I drive away, near tears, and head into Burien to finish my pre-travel errands. I get about halfway to the bank before turning around and speeding over to the swanky-looking boarding place, which turns out to be called Hillrose Pet Resort.

I walk in.

"Can I help you?"

"Well... before I get my heart set on anything... do you have room to board a cat for a month... starting today?"

"Today? A month? Srsly? Let me check. Why, yes, we do."

"Oh, good. Can I have... a TOUR?"

It's just as nice as I hoped. Larger melamine cubes, each one with its own window to the outside, full clear Plexiglas doors with a view of a huge tropical fish tank, napping shelf, and in the larger "suites", scratching posts/trees. Regular playtimes. Lots of light, and well-insulated from sound, and a small boom box playing 1970's soft hits in case any dogs get rowdy in the adjacent lobby.

No question. I sign us up. I even happen to have all the necessary veterinary records right there in my bag. Not terribly surprisingly, it costs about three times more. Entirely worth it.

Now comes the unavoidably awful part. I fly back down the quarter-mile to rescue Archie from the incredibly nice staff at the unsuspectingly inadequate other boarding place. I don't bother putting any extra shine on it... I'm very, very sorry, but I need to take Archie up the road. Yup, I tell them so. They are flummoxed, but in a show of extreme classiness they refund all but one day's boarding of the amount I prepaid.

So I reneged on a "promise", but Archie's in a proper kitty spa, and I won't be crying over him all month. There's no way I was going to let a "deal" with that other boarder (read: my pride & embarrassment at admitting my mistake to them) cost Archie a month of dark, cacophonous misery. Would do again!

After this, will perhaps actually start blogging travels. 😊

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Comments

[Laurie]

RE: INTJ with spontaneity
Hola! I'm not the kind of girl that posts comments, but inspired by an act of spontaneity of an INTJ, then I proceed. Good for you and your cat Archie that you dared to change plans for your cats well-being, even if that meant you had to recognize a "mistake". I'm an INTJ and it takes me a lot of time to make a plan cause I intend it to be perfect, and I'm so sure of the final outcome that I have a hard time changing it. Mostly because it will mean to admit that I didn't saw everything in advance. But, with time, I've learnt that no matter howw much time or effort we put in designing our strategies, there are things that we cannot know in advance, and once we face them, we find there are better ways of doing it. And even if it's a little bit embarrasing, it's better to admit it and modifie our plans, specially for the ones we love :) So, congratulations and it will be nice hearing of more of your trips :) Laurie (A fellow INTJ who recently switched career surprisingly inspired by... love, ha, as weird as it may sound for a rational like me! :P