Real Know Real
Funny how we just know stuff, right?
Called my credit card company to have them redirect my new card to my address in japan. Used to be a trial and a half to accomplish this but over the years it has gotten better...except with this company. Until today. I got a representative on the phone and explained what I wanted:
Me: —the address is kinda tricky I know. And it doesn’t fit smoothly into the US address fields. Â
Representative: You’re right. Gonna have to get a supervisor in on this. Can you hold a moment, sir?
Me: Sure.Â
(🎼Raindrops keep falling on my head...🎼) a couple of minutes later...
Supervisor: Thanks for holding—
Me: 🎼I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’— Oh, hi!
Super: (laughing) How can I help you, sir?Â
Me: Great hold music!Â
Super: We do our best! So, I understand you would like your new card sent to Japan?
Me: Yes
Super: How long will you be there?Â
Me: Well, I just got married and built a house, so I’m gonna say for a minute at least.Â
Super: (Laughing) Wow, Japan! How is it over there?
(As soon as she asks this I know she’s gone off script, even beyond the normal allowance for ad lib, and I think I know why...)
Me: Honestly, it’s the same nonsense as over there but nobody is trying to kill you. Not physically, anyway. Mentally, that’s another story.Â
Super: Well, that’s something. I was thinking about letting my son go aboard. He crazy about Japan. And these, er, people over here, they done lost their minds.Â
Me: That’s suggesting they were sane at some point. When the fuck was that?Â
Super: Truuuuuuue!!! (She says cracking up and her code switching veil was totally off!) These mugs ain’t never been sane. Wouldn’t know sane if they saw it in the mirror. But you think my son would be safe over there?Â
Me: Safer than there, for sure. But that ain’t saying much. And you know how safety goes. Today’s safe space—
Super: Yeah. (Very sobering) I know. It comes and goes. (Then she kinda clears her throat) Thank you for that. I appreciate it.Â
Me: No problem, fam. Keep your head up!
Super: So! Ahem…OK, let me confirm that address you gave us. (She does) OK, You’re all set up. Should receive it by next week.Â
Me: Thanks.Â
Super: Thank you for calling Capital One! (And then she giggles one more time, unable to resist) You have a nice day, now.Â
Funny how Real know real, and black know black.Â
Just out of curiosity, is it okay with Capital One to have your Japanese home address on file as your official address? While I never had a problem with the Mastercard from my American bank until a few years ago, after being a customer for more than 25 years, they simply announced that they would no longer allow me to use that card without a valid address in the U.S. I switched to a virtual address in Texas (not where I used to live in the U.S.), and everything has been fine. AMEX, on the other hand, has had no problem changing my home address on 6 separate occasions from a listing in Chicago and in Japan (currently and indefinitely into the future). Who knows what their rationale is.