Daddy's Authority

Our parents teach us many lessons through the years: many we didn’t know we were learning at the time they were being taught.  My father was a Chemical Engineer; directions and rules were to be followed pretty much to the letter, there was no room for the ridiculousness. My mother worked as a secretary, her career was more about customer service and seeing that people were treated fairly and politely.  Thursday, rules, fairness and the ridiculousness went head to head with my Mother leading the fight.

Now about Mom: As a child I would cringe when she had something she had to return.  She never backed down from a fight. If it was defective, hell or high water, she was getting her money back.  I remember particularly an Aigner purse. It was the early 70’s in Durham; the maroon dye was coming off and getting all over anything that came in contact with it.  She took it back to the store.  I walked out into the mall, too embarrassed to stay in the store while the manager and Mom went round and round over that purse. She was never rude or used foul language, but she argued her case, and won. 

Thursday evening picking up my daughter, she informed me of her visit to the local Cable Company. She was paying her bill and picking up another digital converter box that she discovered she needed.  Six or so months ago the company had switched their system and everyone was required install this device. The only information needed at that time was address and account verification: Easy. 

This time was not so easy.

The clerk on duty Thursday took Mom’s check, checked her account and informed her that William, the account is in my father’s name, would have to come in and sign for the box. My mother was astonished.  She informed the clerk that William had been dead for 3 years, and had never, in their 30 plus years of being clients, signed for anything in that office.  The clerk told my mother she would have to come back with a death certificate at another time.

As I’m sitting in my mother’s living room listening to this story, my mind is racing back to the past.  All those times when she gave managers, clerks, wait staff, anyone who provided bad service the “what for”.  And Daddy, what would Daddy say?   I pointed to the bookcase where Daddy’s ashes resided.  “Well there he is.  Take Daddy with you tomorrow, that’s what Daddy would say if he could talk.  Let him sign for their little .50 cents box of plastic”.  Before I knew what I had said she was laughing and agreeing with me. 

I wondered to myself if I was setting her up for time on the sixth floor.  Would they lock her up as some crazed old woman?  Gosh, I hope not.  “Better take someone with you Mom, It’s not every day, that someone walks into a cable office with a dead man’s ashes”. 

Now I can see financial institutions, real estate dealings, and other legal matters needing proof of death, but this was for a 3 inch piece of black plastic.  An elderly woman who has had an account for over 30 years was asking for one more box. What did they think she was going to do with it? Sell the secret technology to our enemies?  Contact alien stink bugs?   The whole situation made me mad.

Mom took “Daddy” for a ride Friday morning.  She took my son with her as well.  She picked up the little box.  The women in the Cable Company had a really good laugh, as did Mom. They will get many miles out of this story.  As for Daddy, I know he would have done the same thing.  He taught us lessons about ridiculousness,  not to put up with it.  Mom still has some lessons to teach me.  I hope I am good student. 

NEPB  peace.