The Angry Number
by Scott Hardie on April 10, 2008
Steve Dunn is bemused when people speak out against corporate America, as if it's a bad thing that they give millions of people jobs and create the products & services that enrich our lives. I'm with him, but sometimes I do get tired of being treated like a number.
I've been a good tenant at this apartment complex for three years – always paid rent on time, no loud parties or messy pets or maintenance problems. But a few months ago, it slipped my mind to pay the rent on time. Within an hour of their office opening the next day, there was an eviction notice on my door, with a testy letter warning me to pay in 72 hours or they'd toss my ass out. Isn't it possible that I just forgot? How about a courtesy call to remind me, before playing Martin Luther and nailing a proclamation on my door? There may be some perpetual deadbeats in this neighborhood that deserve the harsh treatment, but not me. I miss renting a house from a small local company who knew me by name, and who gave me courtesy and consideration before escalating problems.
I was reminded of this today by my Internet service provider. I've been a faithful customer for the same three years, always paying in full every month without delay. Last month I forgot to pay on time; they gave me a courtesy call and got their money right away. Apparently it happened again, because tonight I got a knock on my door from the tech they dispatched to my apartment to turn off service; the only way I could keep it was to give him a check on the spot, which I did. Is this sort of intimidation necessary? Next time, are they going to send a mafia thug to break my kneecaps? I've praised this ISP to friends since the nearby competitor is terrible, but I'm going to be a lot less complimentary about them from now on.
Two Replies to The Angry Number
Lori Lancaster | April 10, 2008
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Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
Kissingerian
Another of Fareed Zakaria's perfectly lucid articles today, suggesting the only way out of Iraq: (link) Go »The Devil and David Hasselhoff
Thanks, JP. Go »The Vagueness Continues
Things are looking up. Tomorrow, we sign the lease on a new house in Sarasota, bigger and cheaper than the ridiculously overpriced apartment we've had for five years. It's the first in a series of changes that we've wanted to make for a long time. Go »WLW: No Payin', No Gain
My weight loss plan – which has become our weight loss plan, since Kelly intends to do just about everything I do – is on hold until I can recover from the move, which took my last penny and then some. On the bright side, I've been eating less since getting together with Kelly, and I burned what felt like a week's worth of calories during that move. We should start walking soon before we settle into a daily routine. Go »February 10-16
I don't really blog much about my day-to-day existence because it feels too mundane. But life is made up of those little days, and we don't get an accurate picture of each other's lives if we only discuss the big events. Here's a snapshot of my life last week. Go »
Jackie Mason | April 10, 2008
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