That really sucks to see. Unfortunately this is one of those components of 50-year-old car and not knowing what’s under the paint. You never know how many times something was done quickly to sell. Hopefully the filler isn’t in a Wile E. Coyote shape.
They do make Wile E. Coyote stickers for that, saw one the other day, made me laugh. Splattered on a door dent, that's Idaho body work I guess, just slap a sticker on it.
Regarding what to do. I like your first response in that, "shit happens." Especially seeing the amount of filler. It's a tough call but maybe this is the sign to have the body and paint properly done this Spring or might as well get on it now with the cold weather, I am the same boat here in CD'A, it's been unusually cold (hence "climate change vs. global warming." The climate does change, imagine that, it's called "Winter."
Like me, you are in a bit of a bind living where you do. I assume your guy is local since you left it there overnight. You don't necessarily want to bite the only hand that feeds you. Meaning, I bet there aren't too many shops around willing to work on your car that you trust will do a good job, etc. Make them feel bad, sure, but in a way that won't entirely piss them off as you may not be able to mend that relationship. I've had stuff like that happen, sometimes the person/shop owner not even telling me they damaged my car when they knew something happened. That is worse to me than owning up to it and dealing with it, good or bad. Needless to say, I will never do business with those people again. Had they manned up and told me what happened, that it was an accident etc. in the first place then we move, forward, and chalk that up to, "hey.....shit happens."
Only thing I would do different is go to another body/paint shop. I'm assuming that happened at your mechanics shop, not the body shop.
