Monday, October 6, 2008

Gratitude Monday – Just One of Me

I am very grateful to say there’s only one of me about and Dog willing it’ll remain that way.
Back in August I sent a cheque along to the power company to pay the bill. I pay bills by cheque posted in the old way, via Canada Post, and I feel good doing it.
Time passed and I got the September bill which noted I still owed for August.
I called and made the power company check all their records. No trace of my payment.
In early September a postal worker in Edmonton, where my cheque went, was arrested for stealing mail.
Oh, goody.
My first thought was he had my cheque. That’s okay if he hadn’t opened it, but if he did, then he’d have my name, address, phone number, and legal signature.
But what if he didn’t steal it? Then where is it? Did someone else take it?
So I waited and tried not to worry and wondered if the daily mail would bring me a bill for, say, a new charge card already used to the hilt.
The amount of the cheque, less than $75, was nothing to worry about. Only the power co. could cash it so putting a stop payment on it wasn’t worth the $20 fee. And a stop payment doesn’t stop anyone from stealing personal info.
Then last Wednesday I got my bank statement and there was the cheque. It looks like the power co. got it the day after I spoke with them.
I’ve got a credit now with the power company— I confirmed this would be the case if the cheque showed up-and my identity is, to the best of my knowledge, my own.
I’m out a bit of pocket change for late payment charge on the power bill.
I do not care.

9 comments:

the Bag Lady said...

What a relief to know that there is still only one of you! (I mean that in the best possible way....!)
Identity theft is a terrible problem, and I'm glad to hear it isn't one you'll have to deal with because of this.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks,df Bag Lady. I'm glad I'm one of a kind, too.

Terrie Farley Moran said...

df Leah,

Glad your unique self has not been copied in any way.

Terrie

Missicat said...

I am scared of identity theft! Though not sure who else would want to be me! ;-)

Leah J. Utas said...

dfTerrie - Thanks. Me too.

Missicat - Identity theft scares me,too.

Reb said...

Wow, ID theft scares me too. Glad to hear there are no pale imitations running around.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Reb.

Penny said...

Aha! I would have been so mad about the late payment fee that I would have completely lost sight of the Phew factor on the bigger issue of identity theft.

Great lesson on keeping sight of the big positives and not letting the comparatively minor negatives grind you down.

This student is appreciative of your example!

TA x

Leah J. Utas said...

TA, thanks. It takes practice to see things this way. I still have my moments where the little inconveniences have their moment in the sun. I'm grateful I'm learning to look at the Big Good beyond the Little Not-So-Good