This week gave me a tiny glimpse of an aspect of life for the indebted. I don't mean to say that my experience is on the same level as those described, but it's opened my eyes wider to the two Americas.
Yes, Virigina, life in this country has changed.My mother taught me to be paranoid about debt. Paying your bills on time was more important than eating. Terrible things would happen if you didn't. A bad credit rating was as almost bad as being "fast." (Translation for the under 50s: slut. In a bad way.)
I'm not sure why I believed her, given everything else she was wrong about. I discovered that being a single, self-employed woman outweighed all good credit. But I still paid my bills on time, except for when I was diagnosed with cancer 15 years ago. I must have been thinking about other things, and someone called to ask about the last month's payment; I said, "Whoops! Sorry! I'll mail it today." But those drugs do something to you, and I got another call a few weeks later, and this time I sent a check right away. Not much, because I'd been out of work 2 months at that point. That was the end of the calls.
Fast forward to last Saturday. The bank that held my car loan called and asked where this month's payment was. I explained that my son had totalled the car in the previous month; I'd signed the papers with the insurance company, who'd promised to pay off the loan. I said I would call them Monday morning. Troy said he'd give me until Wednesday to work things out and call them back.
The insurance company said they'd mailed the check but it hadn't been cashed. They overnighted a new check. I called the bank and told them. They made a note in my file.
Tuesday night after I'm in bed, the phone rings. Why haven't I paid this month's car payment? Did you read the notes? Why are you calling?
Wednesday I call the insurance company again. The check has been signed for. They give me its number. I call the bank and tell them. Is there any reason for them to call me again? I was supposed to have until Wednesday and I got a call last night. No, there's no reason for them to call me again.
But they do. Thursday. On my cell. While I'm driving home. Did she read the notes? The check has been signed for. Yes, but it's not posted, and anybody could say the things I told them. I scream at her and hang up. First I'm at the mercy of the mail and now of the bank's employees.
I call and ask for a supervisor who says she'll take my name off the call list if I'll call with the tracking number the next day (WHICH I don't have because the insurance company sent the check). I say that I will but point out that they haven't kept their word on anything else and this is the first time in 7 conversations that anybody has mentioned the tracking number, although I asked every time how to stop them from calling again.
Friday I call the insurance company, who calls the bank with the tracking number. I call the loan department to see if the check had been posted. (No) I tell them what's been going on. That's their policy, to call people every day until the money's posted. I'm composing a letter to management.
It used to be that you were given a chance to prove yourself a liar. Now they just assume it. Never mind that I'd arranged for them to receive over $10,000 at the earliest feasible moment. They weren't calling to accomplish anything; they were just harassing because they could. When did that become legal?
I do need a new car. I'll get financing elsewhere. And I've had a sliver of insight of what life is like for those who owe and cannot pay.