Free

( I wrote most of this blog on July 1st, 2013)

Well, it is a new month. I'm sitting at the Social Security office. I'm waiting for one of my fellow clients. I am going to get a Social Security card while I am here.

Actually, I was supposed to get a P.O. Box today. However, that's not happening. My "buddies" needed to come to the Social Security office. 

We were going to come here first, then go get my P.O. Box. However, they needed to go to a different Social Security office than the one I thought they were going to. I thought they were going to the one that I used to live right next door to. However, they needed to go to the one in The Mission.  Since my intentions are to live back in that old neighborhood of mine, I want to get a P.O. Box in that same neighborhood.

While I was there, I figured I'd go ahead and get a Social Security card. I also learned that I have an appointment scheduled for the Social Security office. I did not know that. Actually, they didn't have an exact date scheduled, so they scheduled it for July 12th.

Instead of going to the post office, we are going to MetroPCS, since my 3 week old phone that quit working was stolen last night.  I am NOT a big fan, but I have to. I really don't like HUAWEI, but I need a phone.

Also, I need out of this program. I like most of the counselors and I like the groups. I really struggle with some of the other clients.

Addicts are selfish and self centered people.  We are supposed to be here to change. I have always cared about people, but I had a good family.  They had addiction issues of their own, but they loved me. That matters so much.

I'm on the right path. Someday, before long I'll be Free!  I am where I need to be. However, I long for that day when I am Free!

(Later that day.)
Well, I went to MetroPCS. It turns out that the $29 phone I almost bought yesterday, is no longer available. That was last month's deal. It is now July 1st.  I had to pay $123 for a phone. This is so frustrating. I told them I was going to buy that phone yesterday, and they suggested I wait until they see when they got phones in (I now know that they got that phone in on July 18th, 3 weeks later.).  In the process of trying to recharge that phone that did not work, I left it up in my room while I attended dinner and our evening meeting and it was stolen.  I never left my phone unattended. However, since they did not have a replacement for me yesterday and I had a phone that didn't work and I very much need all the information on that phone, I thought maybe it would charge since the little red light blinked after I plugged it in. I wrote about this is my last blog. I'm going to write a letter to MetroPCS.  This is really so frustrating.

(August 11, 2013)
Below is the letter I wrote to MetroPCS.  I am going to mail it tomorrow. Actually got help from Susan.  She edited my letter, got it printed and mailed it to me. This is something I could not do by myself here.  Here is how it reads:

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To Whom It May Concern 

On June 12, 2013, I purchased a Huawei metropcs phone.  I have been a Metro PCS client off and on for many years.

I have been in a long-term rehabilitation hospital since January, recovering from a traumatic accident.  I got a new smart phone just after being admitted to the hospital.  Having my smart phone was a great way to stay connected to my family and so I could continue to write my blog that I have been writing for seven years.  

The phone was very useful and very helpful for 3 weeks.  During the second week it started having problems.  I called the technical help line at least three times that week.  Each time, they had to reset it. I was asked to turn it off and back on every time.  It completely quit working after 3 weeks.

I had purchased this phone at the MetroPCS on Van Ness Avenue.  I had learned that this was a corporate location. This location took the last phone back that I purchased from another location in December.  That phone was having problems.  I was confident that they would easily return the phone I had purchased just 3 weeks before.

I returned it. I was told that they may not be able to get me another phone for a month.  This was unacceptable.  I had only purchased it three weeks before.  I had many doctors’ appointments scheduled and I also use my phone to help me keep track of my schedule.

While at the Van Ness store, I was told to call the manufacturer.  They told me it would take 2 weeks. Again this was not okay for my situation.

I saw that smart phones were on sale for $29.  I said that I was considering buying one of them.  The store worker, Jeff, then told me that they had made an order for Huawei phones on Friday and they may get them on Tuesday.  It was Sunday and he told me to call him on Monday at 1 o'clock.   This sounded good to me.  After all, I had brought a phone in that was not properly working a month before and they replaced it after just five days.  I had a lot of confidence in this store.

I took the phone back to the rehabilitation hospital where I was still living. I plugged into the charger and the red light started blinking. This gave me hope, so I left it charging. This was something I had never done, for fear that it might be stolen.  I left it charging in my room for a couple of hours hoping that somehow it may start working again. After all I had a lot of important information on it that I need to retrieve.

When I returned, it had been stolen.  I went back to a MetroPCS to get the $29 phone and they said the deal was over. It was now July. I had to pay $123.

I can barely afford this but it is very necessary for me to have a phone. I have been a loyal MetroPCS customer. I do believe they are the best mobile phone company.

However, I feel like it was wrong that I was told it would take a month to get a new phone in for me. I know that you are not responsible for the phone being stolen, however, I believe that had they been able to help me the day when I took the broken phone in, it would never been stolen.  I was about to buy one of the phones for $29, but was told to hold off by Jeff who was working that day. He was being nice by attempting to search for a phone that would come in the next day, but he neglected to tell me when the $29 sale would end.

I would like to add that I received a call on July 18th stating that they received my phone. While I do appreciate them calling to let me know this, it still took nearly 3 weeks. It took 20 days for them to finally get that phone in. I really could not have gone this long without a phone. I don't see how anyone could. They should at least give a loner to someone who purchased a phone just three weeks before.

Again, I have been a loyal customer for many years. I just hope that maybe you might be able to help me out in some way financially. I am in a very difficult situation in life right now.

Sincerely,

David Beaty

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It was nice to see my best friend from when I was young.  He and his wife visited San Francisco for 3 days to see Phish. They weren't here to see me, but of course we got together.  :-)   It was as if we had never missed a beat.

I was so inspired seeing him and his wife. Like I said, I cannot wait to be Free! I am on my way.

Appropriately enough, this music video was filmed live in San Francisco last year.

 

I'm floating in the Blympalot
I feel the feeling I forgot
Swimming weightless in the womb
Bouncing gently round the room
In a minute I'll be free
And we'll be splashing in the sea

I feel no curiosity
I see the path ahead of me
In a minute I'll be free
And we'll be splashing in the sea
We hear a tiny cry
As the ship goes sliding by

Free!
Free!

Free!

I'm floating in the blympalot
I feel the feeling I forgot
I'm floating in the blimp a lot
I feel free!
Free!
Free!
Free!
Free!