Business, Mountain Time

I feel like I have made the transition to this southern mountain town quite efficiently. Well, I did feel that way until this happened and caused me to think it over. I received another bill for my auto insurance, only this time it came with another set of insurance cards saying I owed more money and it was only good until October! It made no sense.

I gathered up check numbers and dates for all the auto insurance coverage I have paid for since April and it was an astounding amount. So, I went to my agent's office to talk with his auto person. The man was very friendly. He remembered me quite well. I was one of two new people he'd transferred insurance for that day. He asked how I liked my new job and I reminded him that I am the one who just came to play with my grandson. He asked if I missed Florida and I told him I was from Illinois, where his Home Office was. Then he asked how things were going here and how I liked it.

It was a strange moment. I really do like it here very much, but how are things going? The place I bought my refrigerator from keeps sending everything to my Illinois address. I guess I should just be glad they didn't send the refrigerator there. My new bank told me my checks would come in seven to ten days and they would be free. After three weeks I called to see how the checks were coming and no one answered the phone at my bank. I finally called the main office and it turns out no one ordered my checks! I installed Internet and the man who came to connect it was kept on hold for three hours by his own company. He finally left without actually hooking me up. I did it myself later in the evening. Now my insurance company was billing me for another large amount and telling me it was good for three months less than before!

I must say that people here do business much differently than I am used to. My agent's assistant finally called his home office and they put him on hold. He eventually assured me that I would get a refund and as soon as he knew the whole story he would give me a call. I asked him to check my telephone number to be sure he had the correct one. I didn't tell him it was because he had promised to call me three weeks ago with the name of a good mechanic and never did. Had he not been so adamant about it, I wouldn't have really expected him to call, but I need to get the next call.

He looked at me and started to say, "Of course I do," but then he stopped and said, "Maybe you better look."

And I did.