I guess as one grows older it is only natural that one gets'set in one's ways'. I myself have fallen victim to that. I like to get up in the morning and after my morning ablutions, retrieve the news paper from the bushes, under the porch furniture, or somewhere in the vacinity of my porch and continue with my morning ritual. I first put the kettle on for a cup of tea and then make my decision as to what I will have for breakfast.
I like to take my breakfast of choice and sit at my kitchen table and read the news paper while I enjoy my repast and watch the birds at my feeders. It is a leisurely time and a time to gear up for the day ahead. A time to ponder the imponderables. If time permits, I work the cross-word puzzle and then finally I'm ready to face the day!
I am well aware, as I've written before, that the news paper is inferior and not always accurate in some of its reporting but I still don't want to break with tradition. Could I cozy up to my computer with tea cup in hand and tolerate the birds frisking about with no audience to appreciate them and...well, you get the message.
I have my paper bill paid with a bank draft. Each month $17.75 is withdrawn from my account automatically. I can check all of the withdrawals on my on-line account. Yesterday, when I checked my account I noticed that I was charged $19.50 by the Courier.
I promptly called to question why the price had gone up. Now, it is possible that there was some kind of communication published in the paper concerning this change but I either missed it or put it out of my mind. After the usual phone game : press 1 for...,press 2 for... I finally reached a human being. When I stated my purpose for calling, he said," Well that extra charge is for the Thanksgiving day paper"
"Are you serious! I have to pay extra for that paper?"
" Well,that is our biggest paper of the year."
" Why didn't you reduce the price of the Monday paper? It is a joke. A neighborhood paper is bigger than it is and we are still paying full price for it each month." It's hardly worth going outside on a cold morning and searching for the miserable little excuse for a news paper.
I told him that the Thanksgiving edition has very little news and filled with advertizements. Having had experience with the publishing of papers and magazines, I know for a fact that they could afford to give the paper away because all of the revenue comes from the advertisements! I told him he could give me a paper without advertisements,
He said when you signed up for the paper you signed a 'disclaimer' saying you understood that the Thanksgiving edition would cost extra!
I was sorely tempted to ask his age but I restrained myself and I used my "I'm outraged" voice to say " You mean in 1958 when I agreed to take the Courier Journal, I signed a paper saying I would pay extra for the Thanksgiving edition in 2010??? "
He said," I will credit your account with the $1.85. Have a nice day!"
It's the principle of the thing! Ciao