Security or Obsession?

BrandsMart, the store where I ordered the appliances from online, were to send me a second e-mail with delivery information. Originally scheduled for today, when I did not hear from them by late Monday, I was getting concerned that there may have been a glitch in the system. 

 

I received an e-mail from my best friend in the states, the one I call my sister. We go back to undergraduate days in college. I use her address for some of my credit cards.A Paul Dearman from BrandsMart called there about my order, which would make sense. I used her phone number. She only had a toll free number, so I could not call him back and asked her to do it.

Sometimes I give too much information. I also supplied her with our property manager's name and number. so she called his office by mistake, they did not know a Paul Dearman, so she did the surrogate panic on my behalf. 

 

After calling a couple of BrandsMart stores in FL, I tracked down Paul Dearman, but was disconnected twice. My connection, not their fault. When I finally made it all the way through the phone tree for the fourth time, I reached the voice mail of Paul Garcia. Hang up, try again. Speak with a person who tells me Paul Dearman and Paul Garcia share an office, but neither are in yet; it is only 9am there. 

Called Daphnee, e-mailed the property manager, getting additionally stubborn by the second especially since the p.m. said I would not be able to do this online from here. There was an overwhelming need for his not being correct. 

Finally, Alain, the p.m. gets through to Paul and sends me a note. They wanted the authorization number from AMEX.  I was looking all over the form BrandsMart sent me, the only thing  I could find was the order number. Then it hit me, the AMEX authorization number would not be there. I had to call AMEX last night. 

 

The AMEX rep immediately responded with there has been an authorization request for a purchase you made for $1,911.72 to ???, but it was not the BrandsMart. I said yes, I did make that purchase. "Well", she said "we already spoke with a Paul Dearman and gave him the authorization code verbally, though it was automatically authorized when you did the online purchase. He has called on 4/29 to verify the purchase then too." With a groan, I shared that they wanted it yet again. She asked if I wanted her to e-mail him or give it to me. Both, I said, so after I had it, I e-mailed and called Alain to gave it to him. Was this extra security and I should be grateful that my credit card is safe from people stocking their kitchens with appliances at my expense?

 

The receptionist informed me he was on the other line, so I left a message. She could not wrap her head around the fact that I was calling from Europe, trying to figure out which of the 50 States it was. When I said "Just tell him Ryan from Budapest called. He will know." I could hear her B-u-d-a-p-e-s-t.

 

This morning, I received a note from Alain, they will deliver, but it is put off until Friday. Stubbornness comes with a price to pay, but now I have 1911 frequent flier miles that I did not have before.

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