By John Toth
The Bulletin
I was busy finishing up my daily Bulletin chores when the phone rang. Sharon picked it up. The voice on the other end asked if we would like our subscription renewed to one of the newspapers to which we subscribe.
Did the invoice I usually receive get lost in the mail again? Yes, I can pay by credit card over the phone. I reached for my wallet to take out the card, but found only an empty pocket in the space it usually occupies.
Sharon, the Bulletin co-publisher and phone picker upper when I am snowed under, asked the person on the other end to wait while I looked for the credit card.
After a brief search, it became obvious that the Bulletin credit card was not in the house. Sharon then told the caller that we would call back after we found the card.
If you have ever lost a credit card or had it stolen, you know the feeling that enveloped me. It’s like a feeling of panic, but worse. I looked in the cars and then went down to the gas station, where I last took out my wallet, to see if anyone had turned it in.
I was getting nervous. I imagined someone charging up their holiday shopping on it and laughing obnoxiously when my statement came in, showing the card had been maxed out.
I imagined someone soaking in the sun in the Caribbean, sipping on adult beverages, while I was trying to buy enough firewood for my fireplace because I could not afford to pay for central heating anymore.
It was tough mentally to know that my loyal credit card was now in the hands of people who would not treat it as carefully as me, even though I dislike credit and only use the card to get points with which I can buy electronic gadgets and get discounts on Buc-ees gas.
I came to my senses, signed into the Bulletin account and froze the card, which means that it would not accept any charges.
I also noticed that there were no new charges pending. That meant that someone picked up the card and kept it instead of turning it in, or it was still lying on the spot where it fell out of my wallet, and nobody had noticed it yet.
The card was now safe. That was a big relief. I requested a new card, but that would take 5-7 business days to arrive. The lost card was now dead in the water, or wherever else it was. It became just a piece of plastic. Good bye, good companion, and thanks for all the nerdy stuff I was able to get free with your points.
I needed something for a week to be able to use The Bulletin account, so I dug out an old debit card from one of my desk drawers and tried to buy gas with it. “Please see the clerk,” was the reply on the gas pump when I tried to use the card.
I didn’t have to see a store clerk. I needed to see a bank teller.
The smiling bank teller informed me that card had not been used for several years and had been de-activated. I didn’t want to tell her that’s because it was not accumulating points with which I could buy my favorite gadgets.
“We’ll issue you a new card,” said the bank teller, and within a few minutes, I held a nice, shiny card in my hand that actually worked.
Another problem solved. My anxiety decreased to a manageable level. My heart beats per minute returned to normal, according to my smartwatch. Things were looking up again.
Had I not received that phone call asking me to pay for my subscription, I would probably not have known for another day that my credit card was lost. A lot of damage could have been done during that time. As it turned out, I got out of this sticky situation quickly and without any loss, except for my nerves.
The next time that paper calls, the first thing I’m going to do is grab my wallet and make sure all the credit cards are in there.
コメント