Sunday, July 5, 2009

The Bank of America Debacle: Aftermath, but no conclusions...

On Wednesday I made it to to Philadelphia without falling on my sword, and also without incident. 3 energy drinks and 7 hours of driving, and I was off to work. I joined my assigned barge unit at 8am, and immediately unpacked my things and proceeded to get hideously sick, I think from the caffeine, sugar, and helpless dread.


It is now Sunday morning, July 5. Most of America is sleeping off hangovers, cleaning up backyards or enjoying one more day of our big weekend. My family is separated by 5,000+ miles, courtesy of a bank 'glitch,' and I am finally able to come to grips with my own emotional state.
I'm pissed.

You see, for the past four days, I've been running defense, or at the least, running. Running scared, maybe. I've been acting defensively, occasionally offensively, but whatever else, it's all been chaotic, and completely reaction-based. This morning, I've had time to mull, dwell, ruminate. And thus, the revelation. I am angry.
I am angry because I have to be patient, that the odds of absolutely anything positive happening are slim, that I am maybe a bad husband, because my bank caused such a disaster for my family. My son is going to have to start school in 'special' classes because he's going to miss his surgeries. My wife is going to lose at least half of her regular clientele for her business, so our finances are officially in the toilet. I've got to pay back the money I owe my dad, and since I spent our rent for July 1 on my wife's airfare, I have to find some way to get that to the soulless corporate entity who houses us. So I'm pissed, because it's a little hard to greet the day with a smile, because my family is not doing so hot.

One thing I am not here to do is whine. I'm doing what I always do when stressed. I put my head down and push ahead, and up my work output. This is how I deal. Yesterday I put in a marathon day out on deck. When our work was complete, I started doing some painting, which never fails to put my mind at ease. It did work well. When I knocked off for the day, after we tied up to the dock, I felt a little tingle on my skin. Sunburn. Today I'm a purple-red color. So it goes. In the meanwhile, I've re-found my chi or something. I'm thinking clearly, and making plans. Tomorrow we attack.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't keep your head down, keep it up!! This will work out for you, just keep a positive attitude, that helps. I will pray for you and your family.

Paul, Dammit! said...

Thanks!

Bill Elms said...

hey fish. can't believe all the bs you and the fam had to go through. let me know if there's anything at all that i can do.

Paul, Dammit! said...

Bill, bring a mining helmet, a pitchfork and a shovel to... ah, never mind, it's fine.

bigsoxfan said...

Sad tale, man. Thanks for putting the word out, I have things organized a little differently due to my circumstances, but one never knows. I'm using BOA and a foreign bank, I'm used to the suspicious transaction routine, but it seems like total bs when used on a joint holder. Caps mode on; SCREW YOU BOA. For all your friendliness to attract bilingal users, YOU SUCK.
Caps mode off. I use BOA for domestic money and an offshore bank with a three dollar fee for transfers from BOA. We've been using this set up for two years now with minimal trouble and that is usually the unexcpted fee from BOA.
I have a few tips from stuff I've learned recently, but small banks with online acess and a second overseas bank that has a US branch seems to work.
Sorry for your troubles. But thanks again for the word. I'm going to have to book my wife's tickets with my card or her cash at some point (hopefully in the near future) and your travails will help. Hope they get home soon and BOA sucks up your losses. Know a congressperson. There is a big bill hanging and you might get a little shove. Luck. Mark

LauraH said...

Have you thought about posting this to Consumerist (consumerist.com)? They may be able to help you out a bit more with the BoA BS you're going through.

In fact, here's the consumerist thread that gives you the email addresses of 17 BoA execs to do an executive email carpet bomb (EECB). Maybe if the higher ups know what a mess you're in, they might try to help you out a bit more. http://consumerist.com/330160/email-addresses-for-17-bank-of-america-executives

I'm sorry to hear about what a horrible mess you've been put through.

Anonymous said...

Well I'm in need of a new bank. My bank, Commerce, got taken over by another during the fall's clusterf*ck. I was going to go to BOA because there's a branch right across the street. Looks like I'll go to the Wachovia down the street.

Clarke Thomas said...

I had the same thing happen to me a couple of years ago; while traveling in Europe. My former bank, had canceled my credit card & debit card; thankfully I already had my hotel & flight paid for.

& with their typical crap, I asked to have it turned back on (which they said was impossible, & I would have 1 sent to my home in 10 days) [how the F does that help you when you're traveling].

Have now gone to AmericanExpress; not accepted everywhere, but they will help me out of sticky sitatuaions; & deliver to my hotel within 48hrs (which I can live with).

So keep the work going, out them on their sh1t. Corporations need to listen up & pay attention to their customers.