journal features
movie reviews
photo of the day

banking blues

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Vancouver, 2001.12.07

The bank that has my line of credit has managed to endear itself to me, already. In order to have automatic payments come out of a checking account, they wanted to build an account for me. I said, "fine." They built the account - and started withdrawing the $3.50 a month - but didn't set up the automatic withdrawals! So, since I'm a good careful Canadian, I kept an eye on things, and noticed that the first month's end had slid by and no payment had been taken out. So I got a-hold of them and asked, and yes, I'd been flagged as having 'missed a payment'. So I chased it around. And around. And around. Seven weeks later, I'm left with the news that once a flag like that is in their records, they can't take it out. My father suggests that I sort everything out in a letter. I'm more inclined to shut down the account the day I get a job.

rand()m quote

Whatever doesn't kill us makes us stranger.

—-Paula O'Keefe