Better Wednesday

Power was restored at 3 am, on the dot, last night. I was so thoroughly miserable trying to sleep -- wanted to cry and then realized crying would only make me hotter. The air was still and I was wide awake, sweltering, on top of the covers. Finally drifted off around 2:15. When the TV went on, it woke me up and I first looked at the TV screen and then at the air conditioner. What a welcome sight to see the little lights if the a/c on. Cranked it down to 65 degrees and the coolness was heavenly.

So Marilyn, my helper, came this morning and she folded all the clothes, cleaned out the refrigerator, getting rid of all those things like the one last sad little pickle floating in the jar of brine that will never get eaten... some embarrassing "sell by" dates -- I think April was my worst one. Then she went on errands.

When she returned she told me that my Citibank card had been declined at the drug store and I shrugged it off, knowing (or at least thinking I knew) there was no problem. Later that morning, I got a phone call from Citibank fraud alert, but we got disconnected and when I tried to star-69 to get the number to call back, the number didn't work.

Didn't give it too much thought until later in the day and figured I should call. Turns out there was a "fraud block" on my Citicard based on suspicious behavior (the card, not Marilyn!). First I had to answer all of these questions to prove I was me, beyond the "mother's maiden name" type questions. One was the guy said I am going to read a list of places and you tell me if you've ever owned property in these places.

Well, I am nervous and thinking I hope I can answer these questions until I realize the only place I have ever owned property in NYC. Other questions about other addresses I've lived at, etc. So I proved I am me; he told me that the "system" put a fraud block on my card.. I had Marilyn buy a $100 gift card for a wedding present and I thought that was it, but he said no, that the system doesn't know what you buy, just the vendor and the amount.

What we finally put together is that Marilyn had gone to Staples and made two tiny purchases -- 90 cents and a dollar which was photocopying. Then ten minutes later, she is spending $100 and the "system" thought the card was being tested for a tiny amount and then whammo, charge $100. What made is worse that the $100 was at a drug store for the gift card.

I am so glad I called because there was a "fraud block" on the card, and now it's lifted. I guess I should be happy that the "system" is in place to protect me. One other time, I got a call from American Express where in the space of 15 minutes on a Saturday morning, I bought something like six Broadway show tickets and two airline tickets and the "system" picked up on that and I got a call.