The day I fought back

Sprint almost pulled a fast one on me. Not intentionally, but I almost got $220+ sucked away.

All day I wondered why my no one was calling. I figured my girlfriend just must be mad at me. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized that my cell phone was actually shut off by sprint. Logging on to my account, I saw that I owed $221, plus change. This morning I had tried to change plans, and figured there was some kind of glitch in the system. The first customer care representative I talked to told me although he couldn’t generate a break down of the charge, he would transfer me to someone who could, and further more that it was likely a glitch in the switching of the plans.

The lady I was transferred to told me that I had $150 worth of internet service charges, from browsing, or something like that. I told her that was absurd; I didn’t even know how to log on. She said she could tell me exactly when I was online, which included days like my birthday, where I know I had read text messaging. Could I have hit a wrong button? Was my phone in the wrong mode or something? I was pretty sure my cable company suckered me out of $113 last year so I’m not, and certainly can no longer afford to, going to go with out a fight. I offered that in four years of service I had never, ever used the internet, so something must be fishy. Still, she argued, and asked if anyone had used my phone, and I still thought it was a glitch, so I figured to end the conversation, and not pay just yet, because this needed to be challenged. I did have a little break-down, though, because this is $220 that I don’t have.

A second call revealed that in fact, it was a glitch, and simultaneously, that the second representative I spoke with was an idiot. What if I just gave up and paid? Part of me was ready to in my self-doubt. Yet, I didn’t. Today, I grew up a little. I underwent the hero’s journey and it can only give me more confidence in the future. I’ll go the distance, until I’m a stubborn, cranky old man, raising hell over any nickel that’s out of line.