Where's my money, Vinny?

T and I have very different outlooks on life.

My philosophy is that you treat people with a bit of respect and they'll treat you decently back.

Tina's take is that everybody is out to screw you.

I'd never given that much thought until recently. We got back from France and discovered that EVERYBODY, it seems, was trying to screw us...



First off, Kick FM didn't pay me for my last month of working there. They're all nice, reasonable people at Kick FM, so I wasn't unduly worried, but apparently the cheque had gone missing in the post. Isn't it funny how cheques, compared to all other forms of correspondence, have a higher chance of going missing in the post?

Secondly, our slimy ex-landlord ummed and erred for a week and a half about returning our deposit (which he had agreed to do, in full.) Eventually, he sent us a cheque for £150 with a handwritten letter, riddled in spelling mistakes, explaining why he had kept the rest.

After repainting and steam cleaning the entire flat, his claims weren't just insulting. They took the piss. I mean, I actually laughed when I read them because it boggled my mind how this man could ever have reasonably thought he'd get away with it. Suffice to say, we're taking him to court and we're going to win. It's going to cost him a considerable amount more money than simply returning our deposit would have done.

Then, British Telecom and Homecall started fighting over our phone line. More power to them for trying to corner the market, but while we're sitting here without proper phone service and no internet, niether company is getting paid. How anybody expects to make money running a business like that, I will never understand.

Finally, I am happy to report that the U.S. Government finally gave me an appointment date for my VISA interview. Am I finally going to have a chance to see America again? Will T be reunited with her cat? Not to mention her family.

Well, before that happens, I have to provide:

1. A police certificate, proving that I have no criminal record in the United Kingdom. Cost: £29.95
2. A police certificate, proving I have no criminal record in France. Cost: (including travel) £300
3. Translation for French Police Certificate, provided and notorised by an American company (because European ones can't be trusted.) Cost: £75
4. A medical exam, including x-rays, skin, blood and HIV test, to prove that I am safe to visit the United States. Cost: £160
5. Visa processing fee (non refundable) Cost: £200
   

Total Costs: £764.95

Turns out that the thing that screws us most of all is the Government of the United States.