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Friday, December 9, 2011

while vacuuming...

a couple of weeks ago I received a check in the mail for $845.00 from my bank. My first thought was that it had to be a mistake. So I called, knowing that if I cashed the check it would most definitely prove to be a mistake.

My bank person referred me to a letter I vaguely remembered receiving weeks previous regarding my escrow account. She said they were required by law to return any money over a certain amount. I said, but are you sure everything got paid that was supposed to, like my home owners insurance and my taxes? She assured my everything had been paid and I was free to cash the check.

I made out the deposit slip. And for a few minutes I dreamed a tiny dream. I imagined a new vacuum that actually worked properly, without help. I imagined filling up on K1 (kerosene for the monitor heater). I imagined some nice stocking stuffers for the son. I even called my mom in Florida to tell her I was definitely coming to visit after the holidays which made her very happy since she wasn’t able to come visit me this summer after breaking her hip. It was a lovely little dream.

Then I opened the next piece of mail. It was from Patriot Insurance Company which said my homeowners insurance was about to be cancelled for non-payment. The amount due was $621.00. Hmm.

I called the bank back and after a few more happy phone calls it was determined that, oops, the homeowners insurance WASN’T paid after all and I should bring the check back to the bank. You can probably imagine what I said after hanging up.

Today, while my son was vacuuming, the hose got clogged again. I came to help, unwinding the duct tape from where I had cut through to unclog the hose previously (trust me, I tried a lot of other things involving long wire objects before I resorted to actually cutting the hose). As expected, there was a big hairball preventing suckage. I pulled it out and made some comment about the joys of being poor* and then inquired, “Do you think we could sell that as a reality show? I mean, they make reality shows about just about everything else these days.”

My son looked at me and said, “Why would they make a show about real life?”

I re-applied duct tape, which has to be among my top ten favorite inventions. My son says it’s like the Force; it has a dark side, a light side, and it holds everything together.


*Compared to the majority of human beings on this planet I am actually quite wealthy. Compared the majority of Americans I am not. I basically live paycheck to paycheck. I do, however, own my own house, small as it may be, and I have a son I can be be proud of. For that, I am extraordinarily grateful. 

17 comments:

  1. Oh Marcy! I hope you get a new vac soon, but I've been there. Can't believe the bank. Duh.

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  2. You know I'm really not surprised about what happened. Banks screw up all the time. It would be hard for them not too. Thank goodness you didn't spend the money before seeing the notice. *hugs*

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  3. Your son doesn't watch much TV, does he?
    Well, at least you have over two hundred dollars for duct tape now.

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  4. Oh, man.
    *couldn't think of anything else to say. And I call myself a 'writer'*

    That great son is the real story here. What a treasure.
    I've used duct tape for way more than I care to admit. Baling wire works good too.

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  5. Wow, so glad you didn't spend the money first! *shakes fist at bank*

    And, yes, duct tape holds the world together. I've used it to keep car parts from falling off into the street. :)

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  6. what a series of fortunate/unfortunate/the gift horse bit ya events!
    every day is a story worthy of reality tv, we keep God entertained =)

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  7. Oh, man--I felt this. I've had those dangling good only to be sucked away last minute moments. Sounds like you still got a LITTLE money back? But certainly not enough to cover the plans you made... Sorry about that!

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  8. no money. Apparently you only get it back if it's over a certain amount. I should've cashed the check and paid my homeowners and then kept the remaining $224. Ah hindsight...

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  9. I hate when stuff like that happens. But at least you had a little left over.

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  10. Sounds like it's time to switch banks. Then again, not sure that'd assure you of a higher level of competency or not. Bummer. Good thing you didn't spend that phony windfall.

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  11. You should have put that last part in bigger text, not smaller, because it was AWESOME!

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  12. Duct tape really does help with a lot of things.

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  13. I guess I know what I am getting my sister for Christmas.

    :)

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  14. Thank you for sharing this post! I think it would be a wonderful reality show. I just don't know how we would feel seeing people laugh at our pain?! Then again, we do manage to find wisdom n' humor carry us through~
    You remind me of Lucy; I have lots of these moments! Thanks for being you~ :D

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  15. Yes, ode to duct tape! I'm sorry for your struggle but I know at least one blogger friend who was evicted from her home due to the GFC. It lead to a trail of misery - job losses, marriage breakup, living with daughter, no money, and now health problems. As they say, there is always someone...

    Keep safe and well

    Denise

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  16. And I forgot to say, that header photo is to die for.

    Denise

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