In 2016, my mom suffered a debilitating stroke. I was the one tasked with handling her affairs. I sold her condo, packed away many of her things and found a place where she would live after her rehab. It was a daunting and exhausting task!
Little tasks that should have been simple and easy to handle became complex because of how afraid people are. For example, I called to cancel my mom’s cable tv subscription. Here is how the conversation went…
CC=Cable company . ME=me, good-looking Italian boy
(20 minutes on hold)
(finally!)
CC: Hi, Always Broken cable company…how may I help?
ME: Hi, this is James Divine. I’m handling my mom’s affairs. She recently had a stroke, has moved out of her condo, and now I need to cancel her cable service.
CC: Can you please give me her name, last 20 addresses, as well as the date when she sacrificed her firstborn?
ME: Sure, here it is
(3,200 account numbers and birthdates later)
CC: I’m sorry, we will need to speak directly to her. You are not authorized on her account to make changes.
ME: I realize that, but she almost died and is in rehab. She’s not well enough to talk.
(at this point I’m starting to get frustrated….there are 100 more urgent things I need to get done for my mom)
CC: I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.
ME: Can I speak to your manager please?
CC: I’m sorry, we don’t have a manager. I’m located remotely on an ice cap near the south pole, in exile and forced to work a job I hate, but it pays the bills.
ME: Surely you have faced this situation before and have a procedure to deal with it.
CC: I’m sorry, I’m not able to help you with your request. Would you like to be transferred to our north pole office?
ME: No thanks. I’d rather eat a plate of raw maggots then listen to more on hold music.
CC: Would you like me to transfer you to our maggot department?
ME: I thought that’s who I was talking to.
I hung up the phone. I was really frustrated. Since I was also handling her bills, I thought “Maybe I just won’t pay the bill” but I knew in the long term that would end up hurting my mom. I decided to try a different approach…
(20 minutes on hold)
(finally!)
CC: Hi, Always Broken cable company…how may I help?
ME: Hi, I’d like to cancel my cable service.
CC: Can you please give me your name, last 20 addresses, as well as the date when you sacrificed each of your children?
ME: Sure, my name is Rita and the account info you need is 1846dhfdku467253745be759403934565h3nyru5u5rhfyuj4m4neuemtn5ueiuwju666
CC: Is this really Rita?
ME: Yes.
CC: Sorry you will be leaving us. Thank you. I have closed your account.
I didn’t disguise my voice or anything! It was so easy that it was a little scary. I think the reason it worked is that I had the secret number… 1846dhfdku467253745be759403934565h3nyru5u5rhfyuj4m4neuemtn5ueiuwju666
I don’t recommend stealing your mom’s identity, but drastic circumstance call for drastic measures. As soon as I post this article, I will be moving. I expect the FBI to knock down my door at any moment.
***James is a teacher, musician, speaker and author in Colorado Springs. He wrote the book A Stroke of Bad Luck: A Survival Guide for When Someone You Know has a Stroke. Purchase it immediately on amazon: You can reach him HERE.