A Bit of Data Collection

If I give it a title like I did, I might be able to find the bits and pieces I gather when it is time to put it all together.  Anyway, yesterday I went to the infamous internet providers because I have had the service for a month, and I have not received a bill.  I do not want a nightmare of being disconnected, so was proactive and asked.

I get in the car and drive downtown and go into the business, and EVERYONE knows the white lady, and everything stops when I arrive. There is a doorman, who greets and normally sends patrons to a machine like the one at the deli counter to give a ticket for waiting in line. When he sees me, he gets a ticket for me and offers it to me.  Of course.  It takes a great deal of time to issue a receipt for a cash payment for a service provided. It actually does, it seems to take about 30 - 40 minutes per transaction.  I don't know why.  But, I took a seat in the gallery and waited for my numer tiket to be called.  Ahead of me a numer was called, and a very pregnant woman waddled to the counter. There was a chair in front, so she took a seat. Well, bad choice.  Some old fella came muttering to the chair and kind of gave her a shove.  She jumped up, and he took the seat while she stood beside.  I watched this for a while, after giving a rather loud ha ha ha.  All eyes on the white lady again.  What had just happened? Well, hubby took a bit longer to get to the counter because he was chin wagging with some cronies. Wifey went dutifully to do the payment, but he carries the dough, so he gets the chair.  Next time your husband does something that you feel is a bit unchivalrous remember this story.  I am sure your husband would not knock you out of a chair when you were 9 months pregnant, in order to take the seat himself.  I was disgusted.  What did I do?  I got her attention and offered her my chair - through gestures and sign language.  What did she do? She looked at  me like I had three heads and curled her lip and remained standing. Poor thing. She probably thought I had eyes on her husband. Not a chance, dear lady, not a chance.

Finally, when they completed this transaction, my numer tiket was called and I stood up, walked to the counter and took the chair.  What proceeded was just as corny.  I explained I had no bill and gave them the information they needed. It was like fighting a wild animal to get them to accept a PRE PAYMENT for something that really in my mind is not a prepayment at all, since I have had the service for a month. Someone, somewhere in the organization will eventually know I owe this and then want it. Why not take it and be happy?  Well, I eventually wore them down and explained how they could account for this extra moolah.  They did, and I left, exhausted once again.

Now that the sweat rivers have evaporated from my face, because I have been washing the floors, I can return to that duty and finish up the cleaning.  At least on the main floor.