…and that loser is me. I admit. I embrace it. I consider it my duty to spread my loser-ness about to make others feel better about themselves.
Here’s how my day went.
First I’m sitting here readin’ some email when someone knocks at my door. I didn’t get an answer when I asked who it was, so I figured it was someone door to door. After a few seconds I get up and check to make sure and I have a notice of disconnect cuz I forgot to pay the electric. I run down to the parking lot and meet him and he’s already shut off the power and there’s nothing I can do but go down and pay at the office.
I call the elec co., figuring I can play for more time because I have $68 dollars to last until the end of the month. I over spent this month and I overpaid two bills. And I turned my tax refund in it’s entirety over for my loan payment, because I want that to be paid off by the end of the year. I realized two days after I paid those bills off that I only had about $180 to live off for the month. yikes!
So anyway - can’t get the elec back on until I pay $189. Not negotiable.
A side note. I had signed up for automatic payment through my bank - the elec bill was paid off every month directly from my checking. When I closed that bank account, I first forgot to cancel that account and set up with the new one. Totally my fault. Especially since I’ve gotten in the bad habit of not even looking at the bill, knowing it was paid in full every month. So after 2 months, I called and let them know that the old acct was closed. And I would be sending a check. Fine. Swell. I was waiting for my checks to come in and I forgot about the elec again. (I’m not good with accepting change!) I called the elec and they said the bill had been paid. Oh! Maybe I did set up the new account….I’m so completely forgetful that those kinds of details will completely elude me most times. Well, what really happened is that the cancellation order needed to be submitted in writing, so when I called, they had just submitted the bill for pymt and so it listed as paid. The next week it came back NSF because the account was closed, but by then I was in la-la land over this issue. (Cause it had been paid…right?) Holy Moly there’s more. So anyway, the lady today said that the original order for the auto-debit program states that the cancellation needed to be submitted in writing. Um, I signed up in 1998. Does anyone refer back to 6 year old documents for something that seems this trivial?
Anyway, I get the bill paid. The guy comes to turn the lights back on only I didn’t know I was supposed to be here. So he left a notice that the main breaker still needed to be switched on.
Thought I knew where the main breaker was, but I was wrong. Called EC again so they could tell me where the breaker was. Oh, it’s a condo complex? Usually the breaker is behind a locked door. Um, yeah, well then why did your stupid employee indicate, in his own handwriting, that I, mere mortal, could flip the switch? he knew it was behind locked doors! Yeah, whatever.
That was not even the stressful part of my day - cuz it was the result of my own stupidity…I can deal with that.
The other issue is I can’t get my mail. Why? Because our property management company is run by a bunch of people that had to ride the special bus to school, if you know what I mean.
They issued a notice that new mailboxes were to be installed on 5/25. We could pick up a new key on 5/15 between the hours of something like 1-2pm. Only owners could pick up keys, not renters. My landlord called me to let me know that she had sent the required paperwork on 5/13 and that she would be on vacation for a couple of weeks. Fine. Swell. I get home late last night to find new mailboxes. Five days early.
Here’s a lively transcript of the convo I had with the management dweebs:
Abbie: Yes, I’m a renter of ABC Complex and I need to get a new mailbox key because the owner is on vacation and I have no access to my mail. I’m waiting for some important documents I need by Monday.
The Dimwit: Oh yes, you can come pick them up at the office.
A: I’m not the owner. The flyer says that only the owner can pick them up and she lives 3000 miles away and is on vacation.
TD: Oh. Okay. Well, she can send us a fax authorizing you to come pick up the key.
A: Yes, I understand that. (this is the 2nd conversation I had with them) However, she’s on vacation and I’m unable to reach her. I need to get my mail because I’m expecting something really important that’s time sensitive between now and Monday.
TD: So, can she fax or send us a letter?
A: I’m sure she can when she returns from vacation, but I don’t know when that will be and I need to get my mail before that.
TD: Oh, well you can just tell the mail carrier to give you your mail.
A: Well, that is a plan. Only I have a job and am unable to be here at 2pm everyday to accost the mail carrier who won’t give me the mail anyway, just for asking for it.
TD: Why won’t she give you the mail? That doesn’t make any sense.
A: I don’t know exactly the reason why as I am not an employee of the US postal service. However having tried before to get my mail I was told that she was not allowed to give me my mail nor was she able to let me get the mail out of the open box - I HAD to have the key.
TD: That doesn’t make any sense.
A: Neither does withholding my mail until the landlord returns from vacation - especially when the boxes were installed 5 days early.
TD: We had no control over that because the company we contracted just went and installed them. So there’s nothing we can do until the owner contacts us.
A: So what you’re saying is that you are willfully withholding my mail.
TD: I’d suggest going to the post office and asking them to stop mail service and then you can go there to pick it up.
A: The PO here closes at 3 something. I can’t make it here from work to pick up my mail every day.
TD: Well, then why don’t you put a note on the mailbox. Maybe she can put the mail on your door.
A: Um, if she won’t put it in my hand while I’m standing there with my ID, why would she put it on my door?
TD: Does the owner have a cell phone? Could you call her to send a fax to us?
A: Well that is an idea, however I don’t think she’s come back from vacation in the eight minutes since I mentioned her being incommunicado.
TD: I don’t know what you want me to do.
A: Find some sort of reasonable alternative to my getting my mail. I think there has to be some sort of legal recourse in extenuating circumstances such as these. I need to get my mail and you’re telling me I can’t until the owner returns from vacation in June.
TD: I’m sorry, I can’t give you the key. If you can just have the owner fax us..
A: Yes! I completely understand! She needs to fax you authorization for you to get me the key. I’m completely clear on that fact. Look, if you’re not willing to even try to see my side of things or pay attention to the fact that I need to get into my mailbox BEFORE Monday, the day BEFORE the new mailboxes were supposed to be installed, I guess I have no other recourse than to pursue legal advice. Click.
Anyone know a locksmith?