I hate people
I paid half of my electric bill first of January or so, and then was going to pay the rest before the due date on the 28th. So I called them today (oops), to let them know I have scheduled a payment with the bank, give them the delivery date and the confirmation number.
The guy wants my account number. No problem.
He wants the name on the account. It's in Ben's name. OK.
He wants to know my relationship with the account holder. Well, I'll TELL you he's my spouse, but I COULD be a hooker he met in a hotel room who stole his wallet. Would you know the difference? Whatever.
He wants my address. *SIGH*
He wants the phone number associated with the account. We only have our cells. I comply.
He wants a LAND LINE number. I explain I don't have one.
He wants a work phone number.
Me: "Oh, for GOD'S SAKE! I'm only calling to tell you I'm sending you MONEY!"
Him: "I'm sorry, ma'am, we have to ask."
Me: "Well, would you like my daughter's blood type, too? I'm pretty sure I can find it for you!"
Finally, I start to give him the payment information. He informs me my account is subject to a late fee.
Me: "OK, so will I have a late fee?"
Him: "No, that will be reflected on your next bill."
Me: [short stunned pause] - "So I WILL have a late fee."
Him: "No, that will be on your next bill."
Well, ummmm.... as far as I know, no matter WHEN I GET the late fee, I'll still HAVE one. Moron.
Me: "No... I can make a change to the payment. So I will give it to you NOW, and be done with it. How much is it?"
Him: "$10.01." He then feels compelled to inform me how much my balance will be if I add $10 and one penny to it. I bite my tongue and tell myself he thinks he is Being Helpful.
Teach me to be late paying my electric bill, I guess.
This e-mail comes out to this distribution list I'm on at work. The e-mail says: If you don't need to be on this distribution anymore, please reply with this information. I have seven e-mails in my box concering this notice. One is the notice itself. Three more are people who used the Reply To All feature to ask to be removed from the list. The other three e-mails were people who USED the Reply to All function... to.... ummmm.... reply to ALL.... saying.... (you get one guess)..... "PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO ALL."
PEOPLE.
SERIOUSLY.
So after work, I go to pick up my precious. I always go to her room first to read all the day's notes and get her stuff. She's never in there by the time I get there. They herd all the kids of the later-coming parents into a single big room to play. So I get her stuff out of her empty room, and go into the big room to get her.
I don't see Sarah.
I look again. She's little, after all, and I'm worn from dealing with stupid people all day.
Nope. No Sarah.
Peek around the door into the bathroom. No one there.
Raised eyebrows to the woman overseeing the room. "Ummm.... where's Sarah?"
Her: "Sarah? I don't have Sarah. She didn't come in with the other two year olds." I don't exactly remember pushing through the door to get to the front desk. I address the lady at the desk.
Me: "Lena. Where's Sarah!?"
Her: "Sarah?"
Me: "YES. SARAH."
First Woman: "I don't have her in my room."
Lena Looks Concerned. Meanwhile, I'm more or less bolting down the hall to start going through rooms.
Sarah was in the room next to her class. Yes, there was an adult with her, and Sarah was most unconcerned. I scoop her up and feel like I could melt with relief right there. People are following behind me, including the day care's director. There is some mumbling about "We couldn't find Sarah." The lady looking after her in the room we're standing in says: "Oh, I'm sorry. Julainna (day care director) knew she was in here with me."
Me: (trying very hard not to snap her head completely off): "Well, Julainna wasn't at the front desk!"
I mean... did I over-react, here?? I look for my kid where she usually is, and when I don't find her, the first TWO people I ask do not have a ready answer as to her whereabouts. Maybe I'm a little over-sensitive, but this is how children get run over by tow trucks. It may sound melodramatic, but I've run into Emma's Mommy no less than twice in the last week or so. The toddler's mischeivous newsprint smile is like a papercut in the web between your fingers. It's not immediately obvious. Maybe even not always bothersome. But it opens easily, and unexpectedly, and you're surprised with the hurt of it when it happens.
So, (are panicked mothers just wont to do this?) I call a sympathetic friend. A friend who has one of those tricky two year olds. A friend who would Know. I get her husband. But I've known him all my life and I am flooded with that fearful relief that demands some outlet, some audience. So I share small tremendous terror with him. And he LAUGHS at me.
Yes, I understand that my daughter is OK. And part of me knows that MAYBE, ONE day, this will in fact be funny. I hung up on him anyway. And told his wife when she rang minutes later that much as I love him, I currently consider her husband a complete asshole.
At least she agrees with me. :P
On the (much more cheerful) flipside, today was the anniversary, 40 years ago, of the Beatles recording "Across the Universe." NASA marked the occassion by broadcasting the song into outer space.
Really!
See??
Happy Across the Universe Day, all!
And on that note.... a belated Happy Birthday to mistykat. I did think of you I promise. I just didn't get it written down for the masses. I'm a Loser.
And to silent_iniquity I say: Cheers, birthday boy. :) It's a shame about the Pats... or, errr...it? Either way.....
(na na na na NA na... na na) Happy Birthday to You! ;)