If that's the case, sand it down level, fill the gap with sawdust, put a couple/few drops of superglue in the sawdust, wait for it to dry, and find a stain marker (or in a pinch, a regular brown marker) that matches the colors and color over it.
I use this method to fix dings in guitars all the time.
With proper sanding, nobody will ever see the damage.
If you live in America, there's no excuse for this.
You can literally take that dollar store hammer with you, go to a gas station at 5am and stand with the illegals looking for work.
Bet your ass they'll hire you first if you speak english.
Every time I need work done, that's the first place I go.
convenience store early weekday mornings where all the hispanic guys are hanging out looking for work.
You'll be making more money than some shitty fast food joint will pay you and you'll be making contacts in multiple industries.
Buck up. Hope is not lost