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 »
Kids Again
Kelly is a big Kids in the Hall fan, so I bought her tickets to see them for our first anniversary. And since they were playing at Universal Studios in Orlando, we decided to make a day of it at the theme park, which became a whole weekend getaway. And since I like sharing my opinions at length on the Internet, here's what I thought of each part. Go »March 14, 1977
I hope this doesn't set a precedent for doing this on everybody's 30th birthday, or I'm going to be busy writing these for the next few years... Top Ten Reasons Denise Sawicki is Awesome 10) She wore red on her wedding day, and she looked good. 9) She doesn't just send the DVD as a surprise birthday gift. Go »Mystery Gift
Thank you, Johnson, whoever you are. I received what I presume is a birthday gift hand-labeled from someone named "Johnson" in Jacksonville, Alabama, postmarked Anniston, Alabama on May 22nd. This means it's someone who knows me well enough to anticipate my birthday and know my home address. Go »Atkins
I'm now in my fourth week on the Atkins diet. I had planned to write about it at the start and maybe once each week, but I've been so busy... dieting. Go »Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes
You can look at this as a parody if you wish (I'm no fan of U2), but mostly it's just silly: (link) Go »
Jackie Mason | April 10, 2008
[hidden by author request]