High Speed Takes Time.

I take the key out of the ignition and grab whatever relevant papers I have.  I’m wondering – what will happen today?  Progress?  Or the usual?

I’m sitting outside the HQ of a local cable company.  I’ve been trying to get an internet contract with them.

Sure, we have internet – sort of.  It’s through our phone line, and it’s an extremely slow "high speed" connection.  As a matter of fact, it seems that whenever somebody uses a phone in our neighbourhood, the internet disconnects.  As you can imagine, that happens a lot!

Sure, we’ve told the company.  They’ve assured us someone would be around to fix it.  But after several years, we’re ready to give up.

But here I am on my sixth (or is it seventh?) trip to the cable company.  They have copies of my ID.  They know where my house is.  I’ve been told by two people that they can hook us up with internet access.

But so far I have no contract, and no one has been to my house.  Although someone has promised to come at specific times more than once.

I go in and the lady I’ve been working with isn’t in today.  I explain that it’s been two weeks now.  Their answer is, basically, "These things take time".

They do indeed.

I want to go home to work on a health insurance claim.  All I need to finish it is a couple of receipts from my doctor.

You see, when Nathanael and I went in, we paid the doctor – cash – but they didn’t have what they needed to give me a proper receipt.

No problem.  I’ll swing by later.

I called on Friday, and the doctor was gone for the weekend – he’d be back Monday.

I called Monday.  No answer.

No answer.

No answer.

Finally got someone – and apparently their accountant says that they can’t give me a receipt (for whatever reason) at least until the next day.

Don’t call us, we’ll call you.

So I give up and go home.  I need to see if we’ve heard anything from our landlord about the water bill.  We need to pay it, but he’s checking into the details.  Nothing yet.  So far, no one has come to shut off our water.

We’re trying to get an important document for our visas.  The man in charge is away until mid-August, but no problem – his secretary can help me.  I emailed her all the details last week.

Sorry, I can’t help you right now – all our internet and phone system is down, and won’t be back up until Monday…

Do tell.

(what internet/phone company are they with, I wonder?)

Well, I didn’t hear from her on Monday, but we’ll try again today.

Meanwhile, my cable rep will be back in the office… on Friday.  I’ll come again, say hi to the security guard (who now knows me quite well) and get the latest estimates about when we can start thinking about whether or not they can give me internet.

It’s a typical week.  Whatever it is, it will probably take time.