Stephanie Morrill: Delinquent
28 April 2010
I used to be an extremely organized person. Largely because I didn’t have a whole lot to do.
Now I’m a decently organized person who occasionally has a messy office and forgets doctor appointments. And, apparently, to pay her wastewater bill.
The bill arrived on Saturday on pre-printed letterhead declaring me a “Delinquent!” Below that it said, “Due upon receipt,” but in a way that was made to look like someone had stamped it on there. Is the fake-stamp supposed to drive home what an inconvenience I’ve been? Like because I failed to pay my wastewater bill, someone was forced to sit at a desk and stamp my second notice? It’s insulting, really.
Yet effective. I immediately wrote the check and popped my overdue bill in the mail.
I haven’t properly educated myself on what all our wastewater company does, but I’m pretty darn sure I don’t want them turning it off.
Comments
Yikes, harsh!
When McKenna was only a couple months old and I was first learning how disorganized I’m capable of being, I opened our cable bill to find I hadn’t paid it the month before. All they did was charge me double and state that if I didn’t pay by such-and-such day, they’d suspend our service.
I BAWLED about my life being so out of control that I nearly got our utilities shut off. Ben was like, “Baby, it’s not the power or the water, it’s the CABLE.”
At least one of us has a head on his shoulders.
Posted by Stephanie on 28 April 2010
I’m so GLAD to hear that he provided perspective and balance — not criticism. Who raised that boy? ….
Posted by Ann on 28 April 2010
LOL. I did that with the cable bill last month. Two days after it was due (what happened to just charging double the next month??), I got an overdue bill in which they charged me for the one I missed AND the next one. Um . . . okay. I wrote the check. A week later (after my check has been cashed, mind you), I got an angry “FINAL NOTICE BEFORE DISCONTINUATION OF SERVICE” letter. They obviously sent this before they received my check, but seriously. They’d cancel my service before the next billing cycle? This people are a little too uptight, I’m thinking.
Posted by Roseanna White on 28 April 2010