I don't know what has gotten into me...

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
I don't know what has gotten into me...
5
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 3:27pm

I don't know what has gotten into me today, but I really got defensive with someone on the phone who was just trying to do their job. I got a phone call from a hospital regarding our outstanding balance. We've been paying what we could afford to each month, but of course it wasn't enough to keep the hospital from turning us over to a collection agency. I know that the lady from the collections company was only doing her job, but I immediately got on the defensive when she told me what the call was about. She told me that we needed to pay more a month because "Did I realize how long it would take to pay off the bill with the amount we are currently paying?" Well, duh! Yes, I know that, but we have a pile of other medical bills too. I told her that we were paying what we could and that when/if we can pay more per month we will. Then for some reason, I decided to say something that my dh and I have joked about amongst ourselves, but I never dreamed I would be stupid enough to say to a collections person. I laughed and said "Well, what are they going to do? Come repossess our child?" Well, she actually chuckled a bit, but I immediately felt like a jerk for saying that. I mean, I just lectured my dh the other day on how he sometimes goes on the defensive with people and how you can get more flies with honey. Well, I guess that was the pot calling the kettle black for sure! I feel so stupid now. She told me she would tell the hospital that we would pay more when we could, but then she just hung up without saying bye. I think I really made her uncomfortable and she was just doing her job. Well, I feel better now just getting this off my chest. I wish I could apologize to her, but of course the number came up unlisted on the caller id.

Amy~Natalie & Lily's mom

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 3:35pm

Don't feel stupid, that cracked me up, and also seemed to crack her up.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 4:23pm

There are times where when things occur. Whether it is someone thinking they could do a better job than me raising my kids(esp Josh). Or times where i have actually said outloud after a long day that I would just love to put Joshua up for adoption. Or if i do try to kill them and CPS came for him I would gladly turn him over. I can understand the medical bills and owing the hospitla. And the selectivness with what the Insurance companies will pay and even the little bait abd switch games they play.


I know we are going to come up with some massive expenses

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2007
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 4:31pm
Please don't feel stupid, I found it pretty funny too. Sometimes humor is the only way to relieve the tension. Once when my nt daughter was little, I ordered some Christmas slippers from a catalogue and they arrived a size too small. It was during the busiest time of the season and when I called to report the error the lady on the phone kept insisting that they HAD to send that size because they were out of stock on the size I wanted! After five minutes of arguing with her I finally said "Well I suppose I could keep them and just cut off her toes." She gasped and FINALLY got the point. I felt bad but C'mon!
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 4:45pm

Amy,


If I had a dime for every time I was rude to a person who called my house unsolicited, I'd have my mortgage half paid off by now.


Don't worry about it.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 6:01pm

Thanks girls! I don't feel quite so bad now about what I said now. Hopefully the collection lady just used it as a funny story to share with her family. I called my mom to tell her and she was cracking up laughing. My sister (who was visiting my mom) asked her what was so funny and if it was worth sharing with her. My mom said oh yeah, it's funny! So she told my sister and she was laughing too and saying she would have to remember that line the next time she gets one of those annoying phone calls.

Amy