Blogging Melodrama

"Hi, My name's Jan and I'm calling to find out what happened to a check I wrote to you for October's payment".

Earline says, " Well did it clear your bank"?

"No", says I, "But I've done some checking and all the checks I wrote on the same day have cleared the bank except yours. They were all mailed the same day in the same mail box at the same time and all have cleared except your check #739".

"Well there's nothing we can do about it, you'll just have to pay the $54.00".

I sat there in a state of semi shock thinking, OK now what do I do? Hummm!

I went on line and checked my bank to see if it had cleared and to leave a message with the teller to keep a lookout for the check. In the back of my head I'm thinking it's laying in the bottom of the blue mailbox I threw all the bills in when I mailed them. Or perhaps they discovered it a week later and it's just going by way of pack train to Penney's accounts receivable office.

I called back about 15 minutes later and got Kong who was still saying I must pay the $54.00; it sounds to me like he's got a chip on his shoulder. I mentioned that to him subtly. "Well hell, if your going to be belligerent about this then I won't bother doing a phone payment".

"No! No! No! I'm not being belligerent, it's just there's nothing I can do about the late fee; you'll have to pay the whole $54.00", Kong says in a much nicer tone. "I'd have to get permission to wave the fee; but I'd be happy to try". The low calorie sweetener just oozing from his lips.

"Earlene said it could be waved when I spoke with her about fifteen minutes ago, so I assumed you people told the truth".

"Well maybe it hasn't been attended to yet due to the hurricanes", says Kong

The light bulb lights up and my vision becomes 20/20. This guy finally tells me the answer to what's going on. I know that's the answer the minute I hear it. He tells me it was probably lost in the hurricane because they are based in Florida and have had several accounts unable to be posted due to the hurricanes. They can't help the hurricanes screwed up their world. I can't help it the hurricanes screwed up my payment. So the fickle finger of fate rode in on the back of the bird of paradise that's been trying to crap on my parade.

His newsflash brings me back to my normally amiable demeanor and I pay the guy the payment without further sarcasm. He tells me the late fee will be dropped, and I have made the payment. Plus there is the wayward #739 that may yet be found. Francis went through Atlanta 3 times; maybe one of those times it dropped off my check.

I'll still keep an eye out for check # 739. If it posts to Penney's later it's OK. It will save us all hassles. Meanwhile the payment is made and I'll be credited the late penalty.

And so ends this chapter of my melodrama or my "Perils of Pauline" life. At least this time I come out ahead; "Thank God"!