When Bad Things Happen

(written Friday)

Today deserves a special award. It had included having to deal with the consequences of some right red sonofabitch somewhere in North Carolina who stole my debit card number somehow (may he rot in Hell) and also an extended period of handwashing my own delicates in strong detergent and hot water in the hotel sink. As I type Adele’s voice is masking the sound of things dripping dry.

I have had SNAFUs and bank misunderstandings abroad, but I’ve never opened an email and seen, basically, “Call us. It’s all gone to hell. Kisses, Your Bank.” I thought at first it was a spam mail, and as busy as things are on this trip, I truly started to ignore it. That little niggling voice of paranoia in the back of my head, though, said, “No. Call. Even though it’s going to cost you a small fortune, at least you will have peace of mind. Call.” That was when all the wheels came off a day that was actually going pretty well….

I talked to four different departments of my own bank and a service of Visa called “Visa 911.” I gave my personal identifying information about 847 times. I ran up a phone bill that I can’t even bear to ponder out of the corners of my mind’s eye. It was a truly surreal thing to be standing in the cool airy courtyard of a school here in Pocos de Caldas while my entire financial life was on the verge of spinning into the toilet. Birds sang, a soft breeze blew continuously. Life was continuing, but I felt angry, worried, and most of all, violated by some anonymous person who felt like what was mine should be theirs just because.

It’s resolved to the point that it can be while I’m still abroad. When I return home, the next round of fun will begin. I don’t even want to think about how many things are keyed to that damn number. That’s fine, though. It will all get taken care of eventually. I am grateful to my bank for its vigilance. What I can’t get back is that feeling of utter helplessness as I was thousands of miles away from home and locked away from my money. There are not words for what I hope happens to the cause of it.