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
[hidden by author request]
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 »
Very Unique
If you're going to write on your resumé that you're an "exceptional team player," you'd better be prepared to explain during your interview how that's possible. 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 »This Blog Post Definitely Doesn't Conform to NPOV Standards
I once coined a rule that you couldn't read more than three complete articles on Wikipedia without running into a reference to some obscure joke from The Simpsons, Monty Python, or most commonly, Family Guy. Seriously: I just now clicked two links and landed at Anarcho-syndicalism of all things, and sure enough, there's Holy Grail in the "trivia" section. Should it be plural like that, since no one is ever going to enter another item of trivia? Go »Survivor Guilty
As a longtime Survivor viewer, I've been bothered by its slow decline. Some of the show's problems are apparent on its surface, like Jeff Probst's appalling gender bias and the show's overemphasis on tacky "themes" for the season. But I got to thinking about what's wrong under the surface, on a conceptual level. Go »That Look
If you haven't seen the dramatic prairie dog yet: Stop, turn around and stare now. (Thanks Miah!) the original Kill Bill remix 2001 remix Church Chat remix (loud) infinite loop source footage Go »
Jackie Mason | April 10, 2008
[hidden by author request]