09-16-2014, 04:47 PM
Sometimes, I give in to the stupid, really hard. Okay more than some times. What is worse as soon as I did what I did, my first thought was, “Well, that was pretty stupid”
I’m doing all the little things to get ready for the trip. I’m on the hunt for the best exchange rate to buy Euros. I locate a place in the valley that has the best rate and no commission fees. The only problem, is that it is out in the valley. Sigh. But I’ll save thirty bucks over the rate that my local B of A is going to charge me.
Saturday comes, the day I’m going to make the schlep to Van Nuys to buy money. Before I go, I decided to check the cost one more time at the bank. It turns out to be only a $13 difference. I immediately opt to save myself the thirty minute drive.
I start processing the order online for pick up at my bank. It’s Saturday. They won’t process until Monday. My brain stutters at the calendar math about getting it next day or in 1-3 days. I hit the buy button for not getting it in one day and save that $20 bucks. I read the part that says no quitsies after I hit the button.
Not even a millisecond later, I realize I am a dumb-ass. The order won’t go out until Monday. I am now gambling the money will be delivered by Tuesday, since I leave Wednesday. I’m sure the bank will move fast in my best interest, right. Banks always look out for their customers first, especially a big bank like Bank of America.
I am so screwed. If the money doesn’t come, I will have to get more money. I had hazy plans of the Bride getting the money and then shipping the money overnight to me in Boston. That will cost a fortune, squandering completely the money I had tried to save by going to the Valley. Which I didn’t do in the first place. I am embracing stupid very hard.
But this whole plan is moot anyway, since the only one who can get the money from the bank will be the dumb-ass not near the bank. Worst case scenario, I’ll have to buy more Euros and return the Euros sitting in the bank. And the bank will buy them back for about $100 less than I paid for them.
Next time, just go to the fricken valley.
The scenarios to straighten out this problem run through my head all day Sunday and Monday. I get the rueful shake of the head from the bride when I tell her of my woes. I’ll just go to my branch as late on the day on Tuesday and hope for the best.
I’m delighted and horrified in equal measures by a tracking number email from the bank saying the money has shipped. Hot dog. The luck shines on the dumb people, but not so much.
They have sent me a tracking number so I can find out where the package is at any time. That won’t consume my thoughts for the day at all. The good news is the first line: Pick-up at Los Angeles Facility.
The next line is the killer: Drop off in Oakland. Oakland? Why the hell are you shipping the money to Oakland first? The money probably started in a bank downtown. Why are you shipping it to Oakland?
The money then leaves Oakland at 3:38am Tuesday. I know I can drive to Oakland in 6 1/2 hours easy. I should be getting an update by 10:00am at the latest.
With joy, I see at 8:30, breaking all the laws of speed, that the money is back in Los Angeles. The promise at the top of the tracking page saying the money will be delivered by 3pm seems assured. Stupid has been defeated.
I check multiple times and see that the package is still out for delivery. No problem. I have until 3:00 pm before the worry kicks in hard.
More joy at 1:20 when I see the package has been delivered . Yay. Release the balloons and party favors.
I hop in the car and proceed down Broadway to my branch.
I hand the teller my id and bankcard and say I am here for my euros. He returns in a couple of minutes and says, wait for it “We don’t have any Euros here for you”
You knew that was coming didn’t you? I wasn’t going to get the easy lay-up for the win. No. No. No.
Next stop, the manager. Luckily, I had the email on my phone with the tracking number and the Fedex link to show I wasn’t crazy. But upon looking at the Tracking page more closely, I realize it just says delivered in Los Angeles. It doesn’t give a street address.
I pace the lobby of the bank while the manager makes calls. I hand over information about tracking numbers and order numbers. She continues to make calls.
I run out to the street to put the last of my change in the parking meter. This was only supposed to take a couple of minutes. If this goes on much longer, I’ll be using my debit card on the meter.
The manager thinks she has found money. She has found it in Wichita, Kansas. Where they also have a branch on Broadway. That makes the least sense. I have a tracking number that shows my order is in Los Angeles.
More calls by the manager to Euro headquarters and money tracking.
She calls me back to the counter. The look on her face says I’m going to be buying more Euros in Boston and lose money when I come back, returning the currently missing Euros.
Turns out, I am bad at reading faces. The money has been found. The bank I am in is at 100 N. Broadway. The money is the branch at 100 S. Broadway. What are the odds that there would be two branches of the same bank on the same street with the same address and the only difference would be the North and South designation?
In my world, the chances would be very good. I also get a FB message from the bride saying Betty Robinson has my money. I assume she and the money was at the branch I was now going to.
A few more hoops to jump through as I go to the other 100 Broadway branch. First, I pass another B of A on the way. Then the entrance to the parking lot is on a street that is closed for construction so I can’t use the B of A validated parking garage.
I park on the street and get to see if these credit card meters work. They do. They take the max money and before I can figure out how to change that , the meter says thanks for the bucks. I am saving so much time and money.
I get the money. I call myself idiot a few more times. I’m sure this is just a hiccup. The rest of the trip will be fine.
Long range weather report says rain in Limerick for the next eight days.
I’m doing all the little things to get ready for the trip. I’m on the hunt for the best exchange rate to buy Euros. I locate a place in the valley that has the best rate and no commission fees. The only problem, is that it is out in the valley. Sigh. But I’ll save thirty bucks over the rate that my local B of A is going to charge me.
Saturday comes, the day I’m going to make the schlep to Van Nuys to buy money. Before I go, I decided to check the cost one more time at the bank. It turns out to be only a $13 difference. I immediately opt to save myself the thirty minute drive.
I start processing the order online for pick up at my bank. It’s Saturday. They won’t process until Monday. My brain stutters at the calendar math about getting it next day or in 1-3 days. I hit the buy button for not getting it in one day and save that $20 bucks. I read the part that says no quitsies after I hit the button.
Not even a millisecond later, I realize I am a dumb-ass. The order won’t go out until Monday. I am now gambling the money will be delivered by Tuesday, since I leave Wednesday. I’m sure the bank will move fast in my best interest, right. Banks always look out for their customers first, especially a big bank like Bank of America.
I am so screwed. If the money doesn’t come, I will have to get more money. I had hazy plans of the Bride getting the money and then shipping the money overnight to me in Boston. That will cost a fortune, squandering completely the money I had tried to save by going to the Valley. Which I didn’t do in the first place. I am embracing stupid very hard.
But this whole plan is moot anyway, since the only one who can get the money from the bank will be the dumb-ass not near the bank. Worst case scenario, I’ll have to buy more Euros and return the Euros sitting in the bank. And the bank will buy them back for about $100 less than I paid for them.
Next time, just go to the fricken valley.
The scenarios to straighten out this problem run through my head all day Sunday and Monday. I get the rueful shake of the head from the bride when I tell her of my woes. I’ll just go to my branch as late on the day on Tuesday and hope for the best.
I’m delighted and horrified in equal measures by a tracking number email from the bank saying the money has shipped. Hot dog. The luck shines on the dumb people, but not so much.
They have sent me a tracking number so I can find out where the package is at any time. That won’t consume my thoughts for the day at all. The good news is the first line: Pick-up at Los Angeles Facility.
The next line is the killer: Drop off in Oakland. Oakland? Why the hell are you shipping the money to Oakland first? The money probably started in a bank downtown. Why are you shipping it to Oakland?
The money then leaves Oakland at 3:38am Tuesday. I know I can drive to Oakland in 6 1/2 hours easy. I should be getting an update by 10:00am at the latest.
With joy, I see at 8:30, breaking all the laws of speed, that the money is back in Los Angeles. The promise at the top of the tracking page saying the money will be delivered by 3pm seems assured. Stupid has been defeated.
I check multiple times and see that the package is still out for delivery. No problem. I have until 3:00 pm before the worry kicks in hard.
More joy at 1:20 when I see the package has been delivered . Yay. Release the balloons and party favors.
I hop in the car and proceed down Broadway to my branch.
I hand the teller my id and bankcard and say I am here for my euros. He returns in a couple of minutes and says, wait for it “We don’t have any Euros here for you”
You knew that was coming didn’t you? I wasn’t going to get the easy lay-up for the win. No. No. No.
Next stop, the manager. Luckily, I had the email on my phone with the tracking number and the Fedex link to show I wasn’t crazy. But upon looking at the Tracking page more closely, I realize it just says delivered in Los Angeles. It doesn’t give a street address.
I pace the lobby of the bank while the manager makes calls. I hand over information about tracking numbers and order numbers. She continues to make calls.
I run out to the street to put the last of my change in the parking meter. This was only supposed to take a couple of minutes. If this goes on much longer, I’ll be using my debit card on the meter.
The manager thinks she has found money. She has found it in Wichita, Kansas. Where they also have a branch on Broadway. That makes the least sense. I have a tracking number that shows my order is in Los Angeles.
More calls by the manager to Euro headquarters and money tracking.
She calls me back to the counter. The look on her face says I’m going to be buying more Euros in Boston and lose money when I come back, returning the currently missing Euros.
Turns out, I am bad at reading faces. The money has been found. The bank I am in is at 100 N. Broadway. The money is the branch at 100 S. Broadway. What are the odds that there would be two branches of the same bank on the same street with the same address and the only difference would be the North and South designation?
In my world, the chances would be very good. I also get a FB message from the bride saying Betty Robinson has my money. I assume she and the money was at the branch I was now going to.
A few more hoops to jump through as I go to the other 100 Broadway branch. First, I pass another B of A on the way. Then the entrance to the parking lot is on a street that is closed for construction so I can’t use the B of A validated parking garage.
I park on the street and get to see if these credit card meters work. They do. They take the max money and before I can figure out how to change that , the meter says thanks for the bucks. I am saving so much time and money.
I get the money. I call myself idiot a few more times. I’m sure this is just a hiccup. The rest of the trip will be fine.
Long range weather report says rain in Limerick for the next eight days.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit