UNBELIEVABLE!

Speaking of credit cards, I had a phone call from one of mine. A young woman's voice told me that there was nothing wrong with my account BUT she could offer me "wallet protection" against having my card stolen or lost. Since I seldom go out and do most of my shopping on line, this seemed unnecessary. But she was going so fast that I really couldn't tell her I didn't want this "service". The next day, my credit card bill came with a letter telling me that I had the service AT A COST OF $2.99 PER MONTH! Now that amount wouldn't necessarily break me, but the notice came with a form to fill out that required ALL MY INFORMATION ON IT.

Today began with my husband's alarm going off at the usual 5:40 AM. I had been awake for a long time with a headache/earache on my right side, so I got up right away to have our morning coffee together. Hot coffee early in the morning can cure many ills, and starting the day together makes it better regardless of how I'm feeling. But this morning I was feeling really bad, partly from the head/ear situation and partly from the need to "fix" the mistake to my credit card. I spent the morning rumbling around the house, grumbling to myself, taking any pills that might help me feel better, and "telling" the pets what was on my mind. People think that those who talk to their animals are crazy, but that is not so. My cats do not criticize me, and the dogs stay and listen without arguing. After three kids, that alone makes them good listeners. And when a person is totally alone (e.g. widowed) having a beloved animal with them is the next best thing to human contact. Animals that are visitors to nursing homes and hospitals bring the joy of companionship to people who need it most. Today was a day when I needed all three---the coffee, the pets, and my husband---to help me call the credit card company and dispute the $2.99 charge as a mistake on my part for not quite understanding the telemarketer and the company's part for having someone who sped through her message leaving it unclear to me. I really dislike having to make complaint calls to people who are just doing their jobs. Most folks who take those calls at customer service are very polite, and I try to start off that way as well. After all, I had some fault in the misunderstanding, and being pleasant gets things going my way much more easily. I generally ask where the person taking my call is located. If I know anyone in that state, I can make small talk about it. Most people expect to be yelled at or worse, and that does nothing for either of us. Letting the person know that I had apparently misunderstood the call takes the feeling of blame off them and lets them feel that they are really helping me. Too few people feel appreciated in their line of work! When everything is straightened out, I thank them for their help and wish them a good day.