Urgent Need for More Curse Words

Dear John,

 

I've been off today. I need to go back to work so I can de-stress and relax.

 

I spent the day trying to get my credit report corrected. And the Big Three make it as difficult as humanly possible. But I persevered - which can be translated as being stubborn - and got all the disputes filed. There are two of your things on my report, and they can't tell Credit Life from a default. I do hope the corrections get made without me having to set my attorney loose on them.

 

There was one thing rather inexplicable. There was a collection agency on one report, so I called the agency. It turns out that there was a bill from your hospitalization in late June of 2011, which we'd have been happy to pay if we'd known anything about it. But it was sent to the house we rented from Tom, and we hadn't lived there in over twenty years. I can't imagine where they got that old address. So I paid the bill over the phone, and that should come off of the reports on the 15th of this month.

 

It wasn't pleasant, and it was hard work, but it obviously had to be done. And there's a sense of satisfaction to having done it in spite of all the roadblocks they put up.

 

Oh, remember that the loan officer at the bank told me they wouldn't consider me for a home equity line of credit because of the low number I had from one credit agency that didn't have the mortgage listed? And the absence of the mortgage is the only thing wrong with that report? After spending half an hour searching for a way to talk to an actual person, I found out that the bank doesn't report to that agency. We'll have an interesting conversation if they try to hold their reporting lack against me.

 

You really did marry an independent, strong-minded, smart-mouthed woman, didn't you? And one reason you did was so I would be okay without you. I'm not okay, but I'm surviving. And at this point, I suppose that's all that either one of us could ask for.

 

I'll keep you posted on all of this. They have to respond to the on-line disputes within 30 days. The one that I filed by phone gets 45 days - I couldn't file on-line because I failed the security questions - I failed the security questions because I have no idea what the car payment was on the minivan, which we bought over five years ago. I'm clearly an impostor. Everybody knows that stuff, right?

 

Grrrr. I miss you. Your absence appears to be distressing the credit companies as well. I hope you are enjoying that fact. And I'm coping, with my sense of humor and sharp tongue still intact. And I'm certain that you're enjoying that!

 

Love you totally,

Joan.