I have had 6 phone calls or visits in the last 40 hours from the same person. In the US I think we would call this person a stalker, a harasser with me as their obsession.
Here's the story.
So Lance is traveling a lot for work, like I said in my earlier post this week. In India, for tax reasons, our bank account here has to have ONLY his name on it since I am not working here thus do not have a work visa. Therefore, only he can sign cheques, etc. Because we knew he would be traveling and we had our utility bill due while he was to be out of town he signed a cheque for me to use for this bill. (It is important to note you can not pay bills in India in cash for things like this. I think they are worried that the people that work for them would steal their money.) So, the utility bill comes on Monday and I drop by their office on Wednesday afternoon to pay the silly thing, all 18,553 rupees of it (or $336 US dollars). I write in the name of the payee, the amount of the bill on the designated spot, spell out the words eighteen thousand, five hundred, and fifty three rupees on the correct line, add the date, and smile at my husband's signature missing him considerably.
About an hour later I am at home when I get a phone call saying the number 3 on the written out amount line is not legible and the check will be returned by the bank. They want a new cheque with legible wording on it. I explain nicely that my husband is traveling outside of the country and can not write another cheque until he returns in a week and a half. The gentlemen says fine.
About 45 minutes later the SAME gentlemen shows up at my front door and explains he needs another cheque because the written out word "three" on the rupee line was not legible. I explain again. Please note that his English is perfect. He had heard me the first time I told him this 45 minutes ago. He tells me ok but he needs me to come by the office today to get the "bad" cheque. So I ask while smiling, "Why did you not just bring the cheque with you to my house since you were coming by anyway?" He just stares at me like this is the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard and demands that I need to come to his office today to get it. Apparently I am no longer the customer!!!
4 more discussions later over the next 24 hours all go the same way with the same guy (Note that this entails 1 house more visit and 3 more phone calls). This last time he called about an hour ago I yelled, "What do you want me to about it? You are just going to have to wait until he returns from his trip. " He says nothing but then says in a most condescending tone, "Mam, when your husband returns he will need to call the customer service line and come in with another cheque. Do you understand me?" He then says, "He needs to come in with another cheque in the next 5 days."
I yell at him, "How's he going to do that when he is OUT OF THE COUNTRY for the next week and a half. I have told you this 6 times now! If you have to charge us a late fee or something then do it." I had already read the receipt that explained that returned checks would be charged a 200 rupee fee (or $4 US dollars).
Ignoring what I just said, he condescendingly states again, "Mam, Do you understand? Did you write it down for your husband?"
I wanted to scream, 'No sir, I am an idiot. I have 7 years worth of college and a masters degree to prove it and about 10 years of managerial experience but because I am a woman I must be an idiot.' But I don't say this. Instead I hang up on him while he is still talking. Not mature I know, but I was loosing my stuff!
On a happy note, they received another cheque from us about 10 minutes later. I said nothing the whole time but he looked suspiciously at me during the transaction. I had a plastered smile on my face. As I walked out I turned to him and said in my most condescending and loud tone possible, "You have to forgive me. I am just a STUPID woman! Oh and my husband got your message." He wasn't smiling back at me but I sure did feel better! And it sure was a miracle finding that other cheque with his signature on it! Yes, a miracle indeed.
Here's the story.
So Lance is traveling a lot for work, like I said in my earlier post this week. In India, for tax reasons, our bank account here has to have ONLY his name on it since I am not working here thus do not have a work visa. Therefore, only he can sign cheques, etc. Because we knew he would be traveling and we had our utility bill due while he was to be out of town he signed a cheque for me to use for this bill. (It is important to note you can not pay bills in India in cash for things like this. I think they are worried that the people that work for them would steal their money.) So, the utility bill comes on Monday and I drop by their office on Wednesday afternoon to pay the silly thing, all 18,553 rupees of it (or $336 US dollars). I write in the name of the payee, the amount of the bill on the designated spot, spell out the words eighteen thousand, five hundred, and fifty three rupees on the correct line, add the date, and smile at my husband's signature missing him considerably.
About an hour later I am at home when I get a phone call saying the number 3 on the written out amount line is not legible and the check will be returned by the bank. They want a new cheque with legible wording on it. I explain nicely that my husband is traveling outside of the country and can not write another cheque until he returns in a week and a half. The gentlemen says fine.
About 45 minutes later the SAME gentlemen shows up at my front door and explains he needs another cheque because the written out word "three" on the rupee line was not legible. I explain again. Please note that his English is perfect. He had heard me the first time I told him this 45 minutes ago. He tells me ok but he needs me to come by the office today to get the "bad" cheque. So I ask while smiling, "Why did you not just bring the cheque with you to my house since you were coming by anyway?" He just stares at me like this is the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard and demands that I need to come to his office today to get it. Apparently I am no longer the customer!!!
4 more discussions later over the next 24 hours all go the same way with the same guy (Note that this entails 1 house more visit and 3 more phone calls). This last time he called about an hour ago I yelled, "What do you want me to about it? You are just going to have to wait until he returns from his trip. " He says nothing but then says in a most condescending tone, "Mam, when your husband returns he will need to call the customer service line and come in with another cheque. Do you understand me?" He then says, "He needs to come in with another cheque in the next 5 days."
I yell at him, "How's he going to do that when he is OUT OF THE COUNTRY for the next week and a half. I have told you this 6 times now! If you have to charge us a late fee or something then do it." I had already read the receipt that explained that returned checks would be charged a 200 rupee fee (or $4 US dollars).
Ignoring what I just said, he condescendingly states again, "Mam, Do you understand? Did you write it down for your husband?"
I wanted to scream, 'No sir, I am an idiot. I have 7 years worth of college and a masters degree to prove it and about 10 years of managerial experience but because I am a woman I must be an idiot.' But I don't say this. Instead I hang up on him while he is still talking. Not mature I know, but I was loosing my stuff!
On a happy note, they received another cheque from us about 10 minutes later. I said nothing the whole time but he looked suspiciously at me during the transaction. I had a plastered smile on my face. As I walked out I turned to him and said in my most condescending and loud tone possible, "You have to forgive me. I am just a STUPID woman! Oh and my husband got your message." He wasn't smiling back at me but I sure did feel better! And it sure was a miracle finding that other cheque with his signature on it! Yes, a miracle indeed.
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