Maddenation
Life’s little complexities
Sometimes you do your best and random unforeseen events/mistakes sabotage your efforts. Take this case. A few months ago, I decided to order a couple of “passive oil recovery” devices to stick in various wells at one of my contaminated sites. I heard about a certain brand from my colleagues and located a vendor on the Internet. I called to order the devices and have them charged to my business AMEX card, as this was the only way they could be sent out immediately. The devices arrived a few days later, but no charge appeared on my card for several weeks. I emailed the vendor to find out when they would be charged and he said he was not equipped to bill the credit card. By then, I had already submitted an expense statement to cover the charges I expected to appear on the AMEX card. So I wrote a personal check for the items and sent it to the address on the invoice.
That was over two weeks ago. Tonight, I was looking over my work emails, deleting those I no longer needed. As I clicked on the delete key to remove an old email, another email arrived at the same instant and was immediately deleted. No problem, I merely went to the “trash” folder to retrieve it. It was from the vendor. I double clicked to open it, and read that he hadn’t received the check and was concerned that the check may have been returned by the Post Office because he had moved from his old office to a temporary location and the Post Office didn’t always forward his mail.
I decided to reply to this email, but couldn’t reply until I had removed it from the “trash bin.” I quickly clicked on “remove from trash” thinking this would put the email back in my in box, but of course, this didn’t work. I should have clicked on “restore.” “Remove from trash” means just that. The computer gets rid of it completely. Why this function is even there is a puzzle to me, as the trash is deleted daily anyway. Why it isn’t named “undelete” or “put back in inbox” is also difficult for me to understand. Anyway, my bad; even given the fact that the original deletion was unintentional. Nonetheless, I had lost the new address the vendor had given me.
Fortunately, I found the vendor’s email address on a previous email and sent him a note explaining that the check had not yet been returned to me and I could not issue another check until it was either returned or I had stopped payment. This may all be resolved in a few days if the check shows up in my office. Or, I could pay the bank charges to stop payment on the original check and issue another one. Not. He’s going to pay the charges or no new check will be written.
Lessons learned? Don’t write personal checks for business expenses (except the pay the AMEX bill that you’ve already been reimbursed for). Don’t deal with mom and pop outfits that don’t have a stable office address or post office box. Don’t delete any messages unless you’re sure another message won’t arrive in the split second between the key stroke and the actual deletion. Read instructions carefully, recognizing they may have been written by an idiot. Better yet, destroy your computer and go back to written communication. Close your bank accounts and conduct all commerce on the barter system (e.g. a gallon of raw mike for a peck of organically grown corn.) Better yet, move to a cabin in Wyoming and live off the fat of the land. I think I need to put this all down in a manifesto.
Dad • Stories • 11/17/07 • 2 comments
Comments
Dad • 12/09/07 • 11:12 PM:OK, even I have to admit that this entry is lame. I apologize for writing it, and promise never to write another on like it again.
Oh, by the way, the guy told me my original check eventually arrived. Almost as good as finding 20 bucks.
David • 12/10/07 • 8:18 PM:I did read it Pops. And I was going to comment and say something like “Yup, I read that” or just “yup”. But then I didn’t.
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