“Faith”
“Faith”
We will get through this. We will once again walk hand in hand and we will dance again! Oh yes! We will dance again!
English Poems
“Buyer Beware”
“Buyer Beware”
AT&T and U-Haul… Profitable or dishonest? Clearly, they are profitable. But could they also be dishonest?
I still like to believe in the goodness of people. When I’m asked, “Would you like to buy a cookie?” and I say, “No,” it’s expected that I walk away without a cookie because I did not buy one. Unless of course, the seller hides a cookie in my bag and takes my $8.99 without me knowing it. This is exactly what is happening too many consumers, except these companies are not selling cookies. They sell you insurance. Even worse, in the case of AT&T, this is a monthly recurring charge.
Because this has happened to me several times, I dare say it’s also happening to thousands of people. Possibly even more. I believe companies generate millions of dollars from this unscrupulous business practice. Other than my personal experiences, I do not have any factual information to back up these statements. However, yesterday’s visit to the AT&T Store to question this charge confirmed my suspicions and prompted me to write this blog post.
While this has happened to me a several times, there was a time when I caught it ‘in time.’ It happened at a U-Haul center. When I questioned the charge, the representative said, “How did that get there?” She removed the charge, processed my one time payment and I went on my way. As I drove away, I remember thinking, “I wonder how many people they do this to?” A couple years before that, I had a similar experience with U-Haul. The recent event only raised my suspicions of these unscrupulous business practices.
Yesterday, I expressed my frustration to the AT&T representative, who proved to be very helpful and surprisingly honest. I explained to him that I make it a point not to purchase insurance and it angers me to find out that companies ‘sell it’ to me anyway. I’m not sure why, but he said, “Trust me. I understand your frustration. Being in this industry, I know many reps do this but I’m not like that.” Think about what he said for a minute. He is admitting this practice. Shocking? Not te me. Note he used the word ‘industry’. This implies that perhaps he has experience or knows of other companies in the ‘industry’ who utilize this unscrupulous business practice.
During my visit, I cancelled my insurance with AT&T. I was not reimbursed or credited for these charges, nor did I expect to be. After all, it was on my receipt. My unwilling contribution simply added $200+ to AT&T’s bottom line. While I do not expect a refund, I do expect companies to conduct business in an honest and professional manner. There is nothing wrong with earning a fair dollar. However, what is wrong is earning millions by ‘hiding cookies’ in the bags of their customers even after they refused to buy any.
Buyer beware. Many of you will soon find yourselves purchasing a new phone, especially during this Christmas Season. I challenge (#NoInsuranceChallenge) you to put my experience to the test.
“I Miss Them”
“I Miss Them”
I miss them. Where have they gone to? Will they ever return? Their presence filled my aging body with purpose. To them, even in my old age, I was never worthless.
As I put putted along the dirt roads, I took them to many fun places. I listened to thousands of their stories, while my failing muffler, put smiles on their faces. They are no longer children, and all but Charlie, have moved to faraway places.
Where have they gone to? Will they ever return? On rare occasions, Charlie drops by for a visit. He tells me his troubles, while he confesses that he often wishes he would have left this town with his then girlfriend, Bridgette.
I love when Charlie drops by. He sits on my hood, and I can sense his pain, and feel his tears when he cries. I remember Bridgette, who left me a beautiful memory during a Spring Break. She was the one that broke my right eye. In fun, it was the last thing to break.
I can’t remember the year, when Charlie was last here. Now, my old and rusty body is riddled with bullet holes, thanks to angry men, who stop by from time to time. If I could, I would take a million bullets, in exchange for seeing the children and listening to their stories one more time.
I miss them. Where have they gone to? Has Charlie finally left this place? If so, he didn’t say goodbye. That’s ok. I never did like to see him cry. I hope he is safe and that he one day finds his faraway place. Today’s visitors are no fun. The last one, left three bullet holes on my face.
“Goodbye”
“Goodbye”
The time has come to say goodbye. I’m not sure why I can’t, but I really want to cry. Has my well of tears gone dry? Perhaps I have simply accepted that the time has come for you to die.
“Impossible Journey”
“Impossible Journey”
On our last night together, I was showered by your flow of tears. Together, we embarked on an impossible journey as we chose to ignore our fears. Reality has slapped us in the face. Now we both must face our spouses and children with disgrace.
“Stranger”
“Stranger”
I was wrong in believing I was
someone important in your life.
Today, as you walk down the aisle,
I’m a stranger that freezes the moments
when you become someone else’s wife.
“The Hug”
“The Hug”
“In deep silence, with his hug, he said everything he needed to say. ‘I love you. I’ll look over you. Goodbye son.’ He was ready to meet God, so he left.”
“Last Breath”
“Last Breath”
Yesterday, outside my window, a mockingbird sang. Early this morning, in a lonely corner, my house phone rang. I let it ring and ring, while looking out the window, hoping to hear any bird sing.
In hopes the caller would give up, I continued to let the phone ring. He didn’t hang up. Dad knew I was home. His instructions were clear. I knew what to bring. The time had come to keep my word. The promise I made him in the presence of a lively mockingbird.
On that day, as the mockingbird sang, with his weak voice, he said, “There is no better way, to spend my last day. Please hold my hand, until you feel my last breath. The pain I feel now, may be worse than death.”
In a crackling voice, he went on to say, “Son, I am dying. There is no sense in crying. When the time comes, I need you to be strong. I need to know you’re going to be okay, after I am gone.”
I once thought he moved to Oregon to be close to mom, his one and only bride. He confessed that long ago, he decided on assisted suicide. He chose me, his only son, to be by his bedside. As painful as this was, his wish was something that could not be denied.
After countless rings, I answered the phone. In a soft and weak whisper, he said, “It’s time. Please come alone.”
“Playground Quarrels”
\”Playground Quarrels\”
We are in the longest government shutdown in history. To me, it feels like an elementary school fight to determine who rules the playground. In the meantime, federal employees are not getting paid for their work. Yes, they will get paid ‘eventually’, but who will cover their expenses while the children in Washington play games? Is there an adult on the playground?
The games they are playing are real. American lives are the chips. The audience is the world. The venue, The United States of America. I can’t help wonder what other world leaders are thinking of our country during these times. Perhaps they are enjoying the show while laughing their asses off. Perhaps they are planning attacks. Or maybe, just maybe, they are speeding up the attacks they have already planned. That can’t be possible. Can it? After all, our Commander in Chief recently and proudly announced that we have defeated ISIS.
I believe our guard is down. Our patriotic shield is weak and the moral fabric of this country is quickly deteriorating. One thing is for sure. History is being written right now. Only time will tell how much damage these games will cause. Right now though, common sense tells the audience that these games are bad for our country.
Will we emerge as a united country once again? Will our soldiers continue to express their pride in protecting this great nation? Unlike what some of the children in Washington may say, these soldiers are not on a paid vacation. As an American, I’m grateful for all the sacrifices they make to protect our freedom and this great nation.
As I think of the current state of our nation, I am reminded of “I Belong”, a poem I wrote from the perspective of a proud American Soldier who is in love with his wife and his country. If there is an adult on the playground, please jump in at any time to establish order. A collapsed country will have no need for a border.
The adult on our playground was Coach Don. He always made sure our playground was safe and solved any playground quarrels quickly. After doing so, all the children happily went off to play together or to enjoy the sprinklers, especially during the hot summer days. Coach Don always knew exactly when to turn on the sprinklers.
In case you are interested, here is my poem: I Belong.
“Angel of Mine”
“Angel of Mine”
Angel of mine. You took me under your wing and taught me all that you know. To continue your work, you recently confessed that you chose me a long time ago.
Angel of mine. Life dealt you a deathblow. From this earth, you have departed. I don’t know why, but you have placed your trust in me and you have blessed me with the task to finish what you have started.
You kept me company as long as you could. Oh, how I miss you Angel of Mine. As if asking for my permission, you left once I said, “It’s ok. I’m up for the task. I will be fine.”