I don't get a lot of calls on my mobile but you can guarantee that when I do it is when I am stuffing a turkey, cleaning the lavatory or at least driving.
It happened today. I was cleaning grease from under the electric hob when the phone exploded into life. It was a Madrid number which usually means someone trying to persuade me of the benefits of some wonder product. I nearly didn't bother to answer.
The woman checked who I was, said she was calling from my bank and asked me if I knew anything about a payment from Iberdrola, the electricity supplier. I didn't. She mentioned a name associated with the payment which rang no bells at all. Don't worry about it then said the woman and went away.
Five to ten seconds after the phone call was over I realised what it was. The landlady of my new flat, whose name I hadn't recognised, had asked about paying the electric bill directly from my bank account. She'd gone and done that and I'd just told my bank not to make the payment. I realised that my electric may be cut off at any moment.
I tried to redial the number that had just called me but no joy, outgoing calls only so I phoned customer services at my bank. I hate using the phone in Spanish, it's torture and often call centre calls are relatively costly. I did my best to explain my problem to the first operator. She understood and passed me to a different department and so it went on. I had to explain myself four times. The final chap told me there were no authorisations logged, no record of a phone call being made to me etc. Maybe it was all OK after all.
I sent a text message to my landlady saying that if there were any problems with the payment she should call me. She sent a WhatsApp message back instantly. These are nearly as bad as phone calls in Spanish. I still have the language problem to which I have to add my pathetic two thumb typing speed.
She phoned Iberdrola. They said I had to confirm the payment with my bank. She messaged me with the news. I replied, she replied - awful. I cringe to think of some of the words and phrases I used in error. By now I was dangerously close to being late for work too.
At work I did get an opportunity to phone the bank again. Same thing of having to talk to four people to explain what I'd done. The last woman said that there was no record on their system but tht payments division had a different computer system and maybe I should contact them. She suggested that I use the secure message system from the bank website. It'll give you more time to think she said. I've just done that.
Fingers crossed. It just shows though. If I were not so terrified of speaking Spanish I would have recognised the name and the situation. A simple yes and everything would have been OK. As it is it's been on my mind for most of the day.
Rent day on the first of the month. I'm tempted to pay in cash.
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