Thursday, January 17, 2008

I am schlub ** updated **

Is that a word?

Never mind. I declare it so.

Just guess who rented a car on Travelocity and paid for it with a debit card? And guess who had NO IDEA that you CAN'T DO THAT?

(Does anyone know why it's such an ever-loving tragedy to NOT want to charge your rental car to a credit card? I paid for the car, duh, with real money. Why is that so alarming?)

So yeah, you can't do that. The rental car agent took one look at the card that had ALREADY BEEN CHARGED and told me he needed to charge me again, but then he could credit the amount back plus some other arbitrary amount he was going to charge on there later when the car came back.

Well, OK. Do I happen to have a credit card? Well yeah. My debit card.

No, a CREDIT CARD.

CREDIT! CARD!

This rental agent and I? We were just not understanding each other.

But I had to go to work and I had been up since 3:30 in the morning so I could make my flight (remind me to tell you how I triumphed over evil by taking the bus** to the airport - thereby NOT spending $65 for a twenty minute car ride) and I was tired of all the banter I got out my card and gave it to the kid, praying it was still valid. I have not used it in years. (Sometimes a company will close your account because you have displeased them by not making them any money).

It worked. And now I am off to work at Sweet Little College before checking into a hotel for the night so I can flirt with my bartender (fake travel boyfriend) who I met last time I ran this caper. His name is Roman. He loves me, even if I am a schlub. So at least this day has some kind of promise of ending well, even if it started as a logistical CREDIT! CARD! nightmare.

Have a good day.

** Offensive, sloppy typo corrected. Gracias, Utenzi.

14 comments:

country roads said...

I hate the whole having to have a credit card thing. I'm currently without one and I'm dreading the next time I "need" one. When did cash become such a problem for businesses?

P said...

I am hoping and yearning for a Roman story tomorrow. Make it happen, Nina. I'm counting on you.

Jennifer said...

I am with you on the whole CC thing. What the hell do they tell you that you can use your bank card as a debit/credit card if you can't really use it as a "real" CC? DUH! I wonder what they would have done if you didn't have anything other than your bank card? I bet they would have figured out a way to take it. Oh well, your cash is welcome here anytime you want to throw some around... I'll send you my address, I would even take a bank credit/debit card. lol :) Enjoy Roman tonight and those drinks too! Can't wait to hear more about your adventure. :O
Enjoy!!
~hugs~ Jenn

PS thanks for the comment on my WW post! ;)

utenzi said...

Nina, I can't tell you how curious I became when I read your statement that "Taking the but" to the airport allowed you to triumph over evil. I never knew buts had that kinda power. You must have one Hell of a but.

Woodrow said...

I ran into that once somewhere and I just lied and insisted that it was in fact a credit card and it worked. Years ago though, the machines nowadays might be able to tell.

ps--this post confused me very much

Em said...

Oooh nice name. . .Roman. Have fun!

nicole antoinette said...

Um... FRUSTRATING.

Avitable said...

Most rental places will allow you to use a debit card, but they'll require a larger deposit. Unless you were using Joe's Rent-a-car . . .

Anonymous said...

Okay, how back woods am I? I don't even have a DEBIT CARD. I write checks or pay with cash. I'm not really sure why. I just never signed the little paper for a debit card when I opened my bank account.

Yeah, I'm that person that holds up the grocery lines and digs for change and writes a check for an 89cent burrito.

Hello.

Anonymous said...

I hate debit card snobs! I rarely use a credit card for anything anymore. If they don't take the debit card, they don't get the business.

I want to hear more about Roman, too.

Anonymous said...

I like to go schlubbing anyway.

Well, since we know the credit card works now, how about checking into the Guitar hero for the XBox for me?

Anonymous said...

Duh...that was me up there.

willowtree said...

The reason they require a credit card is so that they can charge additional amounts at a later date (say if there is a scratch or something) they can't do that with a debit card.

utenzi said...

Damn. I miss your but.