Why me?

It seems most people move pretty effortlessly through their life.  Perhaps they aren't challenging themselves, perhaps they are just more flexible, but whatever the reason, it feels like I really have to struggle to do what most people do naturally.  And it's not the big things -- I've always said I lead a charmed life -- but the little things that always seem to gang up together and ambush me.  Today was an excellent example.

I only had two appointments: I was going to the Reading synagogue in the morning, and I had to be in Southampton this afternoon by 4pm.  I woke up a bit late and so was in a rush, and I was already downstairs and in the car when I realized I forgot my phone.  As I've mentioned, my Android phone is my lifeline -- it acts as phone, GPS, Internet, etc. -- but because I was running late and I had a vague idea of where the synagogue was (I'd never been but I had looked it up on the Internet), I thought I'd be fine. Needless to say, I never found it.

I did drive to Maidenhead synagogue, which has morning services an hour later, and then came home. On the way home, I heard there was a football match at Majeski stadium at 3pm, and to expect heavy traffic on the A33.  Needless to say, that is the way to Southampton.  No problem, I thought, I would just take the A329 south and let my phone/GPS get me back on track.  I even left 20 minutes early, just in case.

Of course, since I just moved to the area, I didn't realize the A329 runs east, not south.  In addition, the phone would not connect to the Internet, so I could not get any directions.  I tried everything I could think of to force it to connect, but nothing worked.  Perhaps if I hadn't been focusing on the phone while I was driving, I would have realized I was going the wrong way, or perhaps even seen a sign that would have taken me the right way.  Instead, i ended up so far out of the way that by the time I looked at a map, the best plan was to continue going the wrong way until I reached the motorway.  I had gone 20 miles out of the way.

At this point, I had 24 minutes to go 41 miles, so I tried to call and let them know I would be late.  Instead, I heard this message: "Calls from this number have been barred."  I tried two other numbers and got the same message.  That's when I knew why my phone couldn't connect to the internet.

While I was in the States 6 weeks ago, I decided to buy a "data subscription" so I could access the Internet on my phone.  I bought 10MB, which I knew was pathetically small, but it would be fine for emails and such.  I asked them to disable data access after I reached the 10MB limit, but of course they said they couldn't do that.  Instead, they told me to download an app which would display my usage.  Fair enough, I checked it every night; On the first day, I'd used 1MB; by the second I'd used 3MB, and on the third I'd used 5MB.  All perfectly reasonable and I was actually getting on the plane to leave Georgia when I checked my usage again and it was over 330MB, and the bill was over £1,000 (US $1,650)!!

I'm not kidding.  Needless to say, I was quite distraught the entire plane ride, and called them as soon as I landed, but of course they were closed.  I called the following day and they said they'd look into it and call me back--they never did.  I called again the third day and was told the system was down but they'd call be back as soon as it was up--they never did.  I called again two days later and, after waiting on hold 15 minutes, then spending 10 minutes going over the issue for the third time, was disconnected.

Suddenly it was no longer about the money, I was just pissed at the customer service.  I called again and got someone who actually addressed the issue -- by asking me if I had disabled data roaming on my phone.  I said no, why would I buy a data subscription and then disable data roaming so I couldn't use the subscription?  She told me that if I didn't disable data roaming, then the charges were valid and I had to pay.  I asked how is it that I could have used a total of 5MB in the first three days and 325MB the fourth day, when I hadn't done anything differently?  She said I must have watched a movie on my phone.  I said I didn't watch a movie.  She said if I hadn't disabled data roaming, I would have to pay.  I reiterated that it would have been rather stupid for me to buy a data subscription and then disable data roaming.

In the end, I told her I simply couldn't afford that, and I needed to speak to someone who could negotiate.  She told me that, since I had direct debit, they were going to take the money out of my checking account the next day.  But, she told me, if I cancel the direct debit then the collections department would contact me, and I could negotiate with them.  I said that was fine, and cancelled the direct debit.

Needless to say, Orange did not contact me, and in fact yesterday I finally wrote them a letter outlining all of the above.  I know they wouldn't have received the letter in one day, so it was coincidence they cut off my phone today. But it was pretty clear that's what they had done, and why I couldn't access the Internet or get a directions.  I even tried to call Orange and was told that number was blocked, as well!

So now I'm late, I'm pissed, I can't get hold of anyone, and the irony is I seriously considered taking the train, but decided it was a nice day and I'd really enjoy the drive!!  Did I mention I was going to Southampton to get a massage?

Oddly, my phone could still take incoming calls, which I discovered when the spa called me to ask where I was.  Of course, they called me after I had gotten off the motorway and was negotiating all of the little bendy streets in town.  I knew the hotel was on the water, but I didn't appreciate that most of Southampton was along the water!  I thought about asking her for directions but since I couldn't actually tell her where I was, I didn't think she could help me.  In the end, I got very lucky and stumbled upon it.

When I finally got to the spa, the masseuse told me she only had time to do a backrub, which was fine.  in fact, it was better than fine--I much preferred being dressed, and I think i will only do backrubs in the future.  However, on Thursday I had joined the local gym and went to my first yoga class in a year, and on Friday met with a personal trainer for an hour.  I didn't appreciate how knotted my back was, until she started in.  The massage was actually painful, but it in the end I felt wonderful.

After dinner, I put the top down on my car, took the A33, and had a very relaxed and peaceful drive home under the stars, which took less than an hour.

Tomorrow I will be having words with my cell phone provider, and I suspect when I'm done, I'll need another massage...

In red is the road less travelled (and for good reason)