The Run Around

Don't you just hate "the run around?" It doesn't even matter who gives you "the run around," you're going to hate it. Simply the name THE RUN AROUND, is frustrating. Here, let me help you out. Go outside, lick an envelope while running around in a circle, again and again and again and again until you fall over. Now, add to that a paper cut on your tongue, a sprained ankle and a ripped toenail. That's what THE RUN AROUND feels like. ANNOYING, or worse.

Today, I got THE RUN AROUND twice. First, it came from my gym in Georgia. I seriously feel like I am stuck in an episode of Friends. I moved from Georgia to Texas. In Georgia, where I signed my gym membership contract, if you move more than 25 miles away from your gym, they have to cancel your contract. Well, I moved here SEVEN MONTHS AGO, and I have been trying to quit the gym ever since. Believe it or not, I have been turned over for collection and am harrassed on a weekly basis over my "non-payment." The collection agency tells me that the gym has to authorize the cancellation of my membership. The gym tells me that their holding company has to authorize it. The holding company says they have nothing to do with it. So, once a week I call North Georia Athletic Club to talk to Mike to cancel my membership. But it's still not cancelled and I'm still being harrassed weekly. Seriously, I just want to quit the gym!

Then, I received an email notification telling me that my son's college graduation announcements had been shipped! Woo Hoo! But then I noticed the "ship to" address was wrong. So I called the company. They told me I needed to call UPS and correct the address. UPS told me I needed to call the shipper. I called the shipper back and they told me, "Well it's not our fault. Someone is going to have to pay the $10 for this mistake." To which I replied, "Well how about the person slash company who made the mistake? That sounds like pretty decent customer service." To which the shipper replied, "Ma'am, you don't have to get upset. If you will just call UPS, they will take care of this for you." I called UPS, they told me . . . the shipper had to take care of it. They could not change an address based on a phone call from me because I could be anyone. I said, "You're right. I could be some crazy psycho trying to steal graduation announcements! It's a crazy scheme! mwahhhhhh (scary laugh)" They didn't think I was too funny either. They did, however, suggest that I drive to downtown Houston, show my i.d. and see if the service center would give me the package. Seriously.

But, alas, I saw the UPS man today. I told him my problem and he offered me such a nice solution. He suggested that I call UPS because he was sure that they would gladly handle this for me.

All that to say, I am still a gym member (card carrying) and still don't have graduation announcements. Oh, and, in case I didn't mention it, I am not a fan of the freaking RUN AROUND!!!!