Master and Slave

Today I took the action thousands of other Americans have taken of late: I called my mortgage company. Countrywide - as if I have anything to lose by naming them.

I spent a good part of yesterday and today preparing the list of suggested documents they had on their website for the "Home Retention Department": a brief letter describing my situation, a list of assets and liabilities, monthly expenditures, tax returns, and paycheck statements. It was the frog I had to eat today: I did not want to call them, but I had too.

So I called the "Home Retention" line. Hesitantly (because I hate confrontation), I put in my loan number, said my task, and waited.

And got dropped.

So again I called the "Home Retention" line. Hesitantly (because I hate confrontation), I put in my loan number, said my task, and waited.

And got through to the customer service rep. We exchange information, then he asked about the purpose of my call. "I need to speak to the home retention department" I said. "I lost my job last week."

He didn't miss a beat. "I'll give you the number sir, and then transfer you. Have a nice day."

So I rolled over to the "Home Retention Department", where I ended up with a gentleman. We again exchanged information, and he asked the purpose of my my call.

"I need to see about restructuring my loan. I lost my job last week."

And then, like magic, out came the script.

"I'm very sorry to hear that Mr. TB. Are you looking for a job?"

"Yes"-

"And I'm sure you will find a job soon. Do you have any income coming in?"

"Well, I have a three month severance package."

"Very good."


"About my loan?"

"Countrywide has many options for loan restructuring Mr. TB; however, they require you to have an income. Once you have an income, give us a call back - here's the number -and we'll discuss it at that time."

"Okay." What else do you say to a man reading off a script?

"Mr. TB, I'm sure you will find a job very soon. Also, I see that you have not made your February 1 payment yet. Are you planning to pay that?"

"Well of course."

"Very good sir. How do you typically pay?"

"By mail."

"Sir, I would recommend that you mail it by the 10th to avoid additional financing charges."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Can I do anything else for you?"

"No, that'll cover it."

"Then goodbye sir."

My entire body slumps down in front of the computer.

No point in getting angry - the guy is reading from a script, and I'm sure that he's had people blow up at him before. The anger comes from a sense (completely self generated) that somehow this was going to make a drastic change in our situation. There is a somewhat laughable odd counterpoint that at the very point that I could use some assistance, you're told no, we can't do anything. The vision I have is jumping from a plane and on the way down realizing you don't have a parachute. You hit up the instructor to your right, but he says "I'm sorry - I can't actually give you my reserve parachute until we reach the ground."

The other thing that sticks out at me is the concern evinced (perhaps also in the script) by the gentleman about making payment. To the mind that didn't know better, it would sound like they were more concerned about their money than my situation.

Which of course is their prerogative. It is their money.

"The borrower is the slave of the lender."- Proverbs 22: 7. I'm feeling that quite keenly at the moment. I've no-one but myself to blame, both for the initial loan, and then for the hope (again, self generated) that somehow this was going to change things. A reminder, probably well deserved, that one should never confuse the desire to do business with the desire to care.