Git Yer' Free Fishwrap Here!

A couple weeks ago, a teenage-ish looking young man showed up at my door selling the San Diego Union Tribune, and I considered signing up for the weekend only subscription deal. My husband is a Luddite traditionalist who prefers reading the newspaper over reading it online, however the future used car salesman paperboy told me I had to write him a check right then and there. In the past, they always billed me, so I found that unusual, and changed my mind.

I kid argued with me! He was extremely high pressure for a future used car salesman paperboy, and that alone made me suspicious, and certainly not inclined to hand him a check with my bank account number. We'd started filling out the subscription paperwork, and I told him to tear it up. In retrospect, I probably should have torn it up myself.

About an hour later, my phone rang and it was the future used car salesman's paperboy's accomplice supervisor insisting that I subscribe to the UT. I told him NO in no uncertain terms. It was very weird, and I must say, not typical of UT sales tactics that I've seen before. That's part of what made me suspicious. Their readership is sinking, and that could account for a more aggressive sales pitch, but Jeez Louise, that was a bit much.

So, last Sunday...the paper showed up on my doorstep. My Luddite darling husband thought maybe it was just mis-delivered. I suspected we'd see an invoice.

This morning the fishwrap arrived on the porch, and the invoice arrived in the mailbox.

Curiouser and curiouser. I suspected the future used car salesman paperboy and his accomplice supervisor. I called the UT customer service hotline. Nice Customer Service Man said I could ignore the invoice because it's been PAID, by way of a cash payment, through March 17.

Huh?

The Nice Customer Service Man says he'll refer it to their payment processing people who can check into where the payment came from, and if it's a misapplied payment they'll fix it and the paper will stop...or it'll keep coming until mid-March, gratis.

Hmmmm. I wonder if they'll give me a refund if I tell them I don't want the paper afterall.

I'll get back to you on that.