Direct TV is persuasive

Today I called direct tv to disconnect service.  This means that we will have no television as we cannot seem to pick up local stations with antenna where we live.  I finally decided that 60 dollars a month for about 10 channels that I like out of the 300 that are offered seemed just too much.  Besides when I saw that I was watching “My mom is 57, but looks 27” I knew I had become a zombie.

When I called, I had already unhooked both receivers.  Of course tholle standard questions came – Why? What will yo do for TV service? etc.  When I told her that I was going to do without, she appeared concerned.  She offered to give me all the movie channels to stay with them – I said no.  She offered to give me the package I had for 29.99 a month – I said no.  She asked me what my monthly budget for TV could be and I said 20 dollars.  This seemed to end the bargains.  Guess they just couldn’t go that far!!  She was so nice and told me how I had been such a good customer for 11 years, before she sprang the 140 dollar cancellation fee on me.  I asked her what kind of contract did they have that lasted over 11 years!?  She said that when I ordered a new receiver last summer it automatically restarted the contract.  (Lightening ruined my receiver.  I ordered a new one.  I sent the old one back.)

I will give them credit though, before I had to get riled up, “they” decided to waive my fee.  How sweet.  At least it made me ok with going back to them if withdrawals are too painful.

I am meditating!! The man and I had the long, long conversation about how people did not always have TV.  He bought their first TV with the 1,000 dollar settlement from Zachary when the guy dropped the backhoe on him.  It cost 279 dollars and was a big cabinet sized Admiral.  He bought it in the early 1950s for his dad.  His dad went on and on about how it was a waste of money, but as the tube lit up for the first time, so did his eyes.  The man says one of his fondest memories is hearing his dad laugh out loud with Groucho was on.  I laugh out loud at TV also.  He says that reminds him of his dad.  I like that.

But back to before TV. I asked him, “What did yall do?”  He said, “Well, hell we worked till dark, then came in and ate.  Then we might sit out in the yard and talk or go straight to bed it we were especially tired.”  I asked what if you were alone.  He said, people read, or listened to the radio or visited or neighbors came over.  We had a really good conversation about it to calm my nerves.  See, it has helped already.