I don’t get mad at my husband very often, but last night I was pissed. White knuckled, steam sprouting from ears pissed.
Jeff is on a business trip this week. His company gave him a check for $1000 to pay for his hotel room, food, expenses, etc. On Saturday, he asked me to cash this check. Cash? $1000? I nicely (really) suggest he put the money, or most of it, in our checking account and just use the debit card all week. Even McDonald’s takes a debit card these days. This would assure it wasn’t accidentally lost or worse, stolen. After all this money isn’t a gift. He has to show receipts for everything and turn in what’s left. No. He insisted on taking the big wad of cash. Not sure if it was a manly thing, or a you don’t tell me what to do thing.
Rather than go through my issues chronologically, I will stick with themes. More on the money. Monday, I happened to pull up our checking account online. To my surprise I see a $396 withdrawal for Radisson Hotels. I call Jeff on the cell and he explains that the hotel insisted on a credit card, but informed him they were only “holding” $50 on it (he used our checking debit card). He also notes that he paid for the entire week in advance, using the before mentioned big wad of cash. Does this mean he has paid twice? Didn’t he sign something approving the $396 “hold”, or didn’t he sign it without looking? This is an issue for us this week, as we have around $300 worth of checks I am expecting to hit the account any minute and the balance now reads $20.27. I frantically call the bank, and they inform me “don’t worry, the hotel hold should clear tonight and you don’t have anything posting today”. Jeff checks with the pre-pubescent receptionist at the hotel and she indicates “don’t worry, it should clear tonight”.
These idiots obviously do not know who they are dealing with. Not worry? Are they kidding?
Tuesday, same issue, same results. “Don’t worry, it should clear tonight”. This time I’m getting ticked. If I bounce a check, someone’s head will roll. If I have an overdraft fee, many head’s will roll. Wednesday, same issue. The bank paid our several checks that came in and did not charge us any fees. By Thursday, the hold had cleared. Everyone involved can once again live peacefully, unafraid of my wrath. Except my husband who could have avoided all of this by putting the money in the account in the first place. He used his big wad and the debit card. Idiot.
Next let’s get to calling. Here I get fuzzy on the exact nature of my anger. I’m not sure if it’s because of his lack of calling, or his location every time I call him. Jeff leaves on Sunday and calls me when he gets to his room. It’s after 10:00 p.m. so the kids are in bed. I let him know we have basketball all week, so call around 8:00 to talk with them. Monday night, no call. I spoke with him on the phone a few times regarding the money issue, but no call to the kids in the evening. Tuesday, he calls at 8:00 and talks with all three. Wednesday, I call him from work around 3:00 in the afternoon (to update him on money issue) and he’s in the bar. He tells me how they are planning on going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tomorrow night. Sounds cool, I respond. He calls again that evening and talks with the kids. The call is pretty loud, as they are in the bar before heading to the Hall of Fame. Thursday. It’s getting late and the kids are tired but waiting anxiously with the phone in their lap for Daddy to call. Around 8:25 p.m. I go ahead and call Jeff. After a few rings I get a hollered “Hello?” Background noise is so loud I can barely hear him. I ask, “Where are you?” You guessed it. In the bar. Normally I wouldn’t get mad, but I’ll admit it. I was. He asks what I want. I coldly say nothing, never mind, goodbye. Whatever I can to end the call. Immediately.
This morning he calls me at work and asks what I wanted the night before. I inform him how the kids were waiting, yadda, yadda, yadda. His response? “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t know you wanted me to call.”
I didn’t want him to call. I wanted him to want to.
Jeff is on a business trip this week. His company gave him a check for $1000 to pay for his hotel room, food, expenses, etc. On Saturday, he asked me to cash this check. Cash? $1000? I nicely (really) suggest he put the money, or most of it, in our checking account and just use the debit card all week. Even McDonald’s takes a debit card these days. This would assure it wasn’t accidentally lost or worse, stolen. After all this money isn’t a gift. He has to show receipts for everything and turn in what’s left. No. He insisted on taking the big wad of cash. Not sure if it was a manly thing, or a you don’t tell me what to do thing.
Rather than go through my issues chronologically, I will stick with themes. More on the money. Monday, I happened to pull up our checking account online. To my surprise I see a $396 withdrawal for Radisson Hotels. I call Jeff on the cell and he explains that the hotel insisted on a credit card, but informed him they were only “holding” $50 on it (he used our checking debit card). He also notes that he paid for the entire week in advance, using the before mentioned big wad of cash. Does this mean he has paid twice? Didn’t he sign something approving the $396 “hold”, or didn’t he sign it without looking? This is an issue for us this week, as we have around $300 worth of checks I am expecting to hit the account any minute and the balance now reads $20.27. I frantically call the bank, and they inform me “don’t worry, the hotel hold should clear tonight and you don’t have anything posting today”. Jeff checks with the pre-pubescent receptionist at the hotel and she indicates “don’t worry, it should clear tonight”.
These idiots obviously do not know who they are dealing with. Not worry? Are they kidding?
Tuesday, same issue, same results. “Don’t worry, it should clear tonight”. This time I’m getting ticked. If I bounce a check, someone’s head will roll. If I have an overdraft fee, many head’s will roll. Wednesday, same issue. The bank paid our several checks that came in and did not charge us any fees. By Thursday, the hold had cleared. Everyone involved can once again live peacefully, unafraid of my wrath. Except my husband who could have avoided all of this by putting the money in the account in the first place. He used his big wad and the debit card. Idiot.
Next let’s get to calling. Here I get fuzzy on the exact nature of my anger. I’m not sure if it’s because of his lack of calling, or his location every time I call him. Jeff leaves on Sunday and calls me when he gets to his room. It’s after 10:00 p.m. so the kids are in bed. I let him know we have basketball all week, so call around 8:00 to talk with them. Monday night, no call. I spoke with him on the phone a few times regarding the money issue, but no call to the kids in the evening. Tuesday, he calls at 8:00 and talks with all three. Wednesday, I call him from work around 3:00 in the afternoon (to update him on money issue) and he’s in the bar. He tells me how they are planning on going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tomorrow night. Sounds cool, I respond. He calls again that evening and talks with the kids. The call is pretty loud, as they are in the bar before heading to the Hall of Fame. Thursday. It’s getting late and the kids are tired but waiting anxiously with the phone in their lap for Daddy to call. Around 8:25 p.m. I go ahead and call Jeff. After a few rings I get a hollered “Hello?” Background noise is so loud I can barely hear him. I ask, “Where are you?” You guessed it. In the bar. Normally I wouldn’t get mad, but I’ll admit it. I was. He asks what I want. I coldly say nothing, never mind, goodbye. Whatever I can to end the call. Immediately.
This morning he calls me at work and asks what I wanted the night before. I inform him how the kids were waiting, yadda, yadda, yadda. His response? “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t know you wanted me to call.”
I didn’t want him to call. I wanted him to want to.
2 comments:
I believe I've had that same argument. Men don't get that whole "I want you to want..." thing. Even after Cheap Trick wrote a whole song explaining it. Idiots!
I have stayed in 14 different hotels in the last year. Every one of them had a sign on the front desk that said something like "We highly recommend that you use a credit card, not a debit card, with us. We must put a hold on your account for your room rate and any other fees you may incur. We are not responsible for overdrafts to your checking account because of this hold on your account."
Not trying to add fuel to the fire here, just something I've noticed as a somewhat professional hotel-stayer-inner.
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