que pasa

You know how credit card companies give loyalty points for purchases made using their cards, and how airlines give frequent flyer miles for using their airline? Then they just conveniently expire without reminders? While most of us may not care, or some of us feel wronged and helpless, how many of you actually call them up to fight for your points back? My dad does.

My dad discovered today that he somehow lost 6,000 points on one of his credit cards the last month. He got out all his old statements and found that there was no reminder leading up to the deduction. So despite the fact that we are going to have dinner, he calls up the credit card hotline and wants to settle the matter. My dad gets all "righteously" angry when it comes to making complaints. Man, I do not want to be on the other end of the line, nor do I want to be the manager to which he complains to in the restaurant. You feel like pondscum after that. Anyways, I suspect that he did it before dinner because the food might "sedate" him and then he would not be able to gather up all his fury. Heh heh.

So he tells me that it is time to redeem points and I should pick out what we should get. Ok - a cordless phone to replace our current 10-minute-battery-life one, and an $80 voucher at a Chinese restaurant. But we are short of 190 points, to which he grins and replies, "That will not be a problem when I get the 6,000 points back." I think he is too smug.

I do not know if my dad is lucky, or the bank system is just screwed up. The helpline is automated (and we all hate this automated press-this-number-for-this-and-this-number-for-that nonsense) and it asks my dad to enter in the card number. Lo and behold, he tries three times to be told each time by that you-can't-piss-me-off-because-i'm-a-robot voice that "That is an invalid account number." Oh no, this waiting time is stirring up more angst. Whoopie - another complaint... more productive use of his "righteous" anger. Finally, someone takes my dad's call. I think the girl feels embarrased that the system does not acknowledge his account and she says she will lodge a report. 1-0, dad.

Round two. Dad makes his case for his lost credit card points. Between "I have all my statements (since January) in front of me and there are no reminders - which is silly, isn't it?" and "I am willing to come down with all my statements and show you there were no reminders" and "I have been saving up the points for a redemption. I just need you to make the extension for 3 months, not too long..." he somehow convinces the girl to bring his case (to extend his points) up to her manager. And to go for the jugular, he says, "I'm not taking no for an answer. If I have to talk to your manager, you better let me know who I'm going to talk to now." So we will see what happens. My bets are on dad. And if there is a round three and more, i say "dad" again and again and again.

Now, before you start getting on my dad's case about being unreasonable, petty or silly - he is not. And no, the girl on the phone was not upset, traumatized, did not feel bulldozed or anything of that sort. My dad is really a great guy, just that he has his quirks (as do we). This is one of them. We laugh about it at home when he is not around. You wonder where I got my stubborn-ness, argumentative-ness, and tendency to complain from? Look no further. Heck, I even look like my dad. But for all the frustration that I experience when we fight or argue, I know he is always on my side, even if it does not look it.

I am my daddy's girl. Bully me and die, suckers!