Discrimination Against the Poor - $120 pizza

[Vicki Richter]

When I was 18 years old, I was young and irresponsible. I didn't maintain a checkbook register and instead always calculated my meager bank account balance in my head.

Well, that worked great until I spaced a "large" $100 payment and started bouncing checks. Wow that sucked. Anyway, one of the checks that bounced was to Grandma Tony's in Tucson. First I got the letter from them telling me I had to pay for the pizza plus $40 overdraft. $40!!! I had already paid a $25 fee from my bank for writing the check. So I was inclined to not pay this one. This was the dumb part. Grandma Tony's sent me to a collection agency who proceeded to call me, write me, etc, telling me that if I did not now pay their $110 fee in addition to my $12.00 pizza I would get taken to court and would have to pay not only the cost of the pizza and their fee, but they would request for me to pay for their lawyer fees as well (possibly making it a $500 pizza). The worst thing is the day I received that letter, I sent off a $52 check for the pizza to Grandma Tony's and they sent it back saying that wasn't good enough now.

Not really knowing what to do, and after much badgering, I sent them a check for $120.00. At the time I was making like $7.00 an hour part time (which was pretty good money for someone at the time) and working my way through college. Still $120 after taxes sucked. Yes I even called Grandma Tony's and requested leniency, but they were basically, "fack off".

What this all boils down to is like check cashing places, higher interest rates, etc, we, as a country are more inclined to discriminate against people who don't have the money in their accounts to pay for their pizza. There was definite social class discrimination in what happened to me. Today, I still don't do a check register, but I don't write checks either and I always have plenty of money in the bank to pay for stuff.

So please, do not eat at Grandma Tony's Pizza in Tucson. She's a poor hating non-understanding bitch. Wow I feel better now.

[romeo]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


hem hem ...I guess that soon there will be Allanah's reply....... :!:

[Vicki Richter]

10 to 1 she doesn't. She'll almost definitely take the high road. I know she'll read it though. It's an entertaining story. I am sure it will have a strong impact on Grandma Tony's business.

[Ecstatic]

Maybe, Vicki, but how large a percentage of Grandma Tony's clientel is TS or TS admirers? :P

I broke a filling once biting down on a stone in a pizza from a local takeout. Your story makes me sorry I didn't sue their ass. 8)

[Realgirls4me]

Hmmmm. One hundred-and-twenty dollar pizza, huh ? Geez, what kinda toppings did you order on it ? ;)

Seriously, I think most of us in here can relate and probably have our own similar stories, Vicki. I think the restaurant did go to extreme measures though over a pizza. You'd think ???

[tsluver247]

A classic example of today's financial institutions and businesses. What is also distrubing the price that the uninsured paid for medical bills. Hospitals and doctors charge usually double or triple the actual amount and threat to ruin your credit if you do not pay. Reducing the original can also hurt your credit status.

[Felicia Katt]

Grandma Tony's? sounds like it was a tranny establishment LOL

Felicia

[joyboy123]

...What this all boils down to is like check cashing places, higher interest rates, etc, we, as a country are more inclined to discriminate against people who don't have the money in their accounts to pay for their pizza. There was definite social class discrimination in what happened to me. Today, I still don't do a check register, but I don't write checks either and I always have plenty of money in the bank to pay for stuff.


You are definitely at the bottom of the economic food chain when you are poor. I had similar experiences when I was first starting out making very little money doing shit jobs.

Ok, I will definitely avoid that pizza place. :wink:

[Felicia Katt]

Hmmmm. One hundred-and-twenty dollar pizza, huh ? Geez, what kinda toppings did you order on it ?

you can only top with meat :twisted:




Pepperoni!!


what did you think I meant???

LOL

Felicia

[underdog6]

good to see you back vickie. and yep you right the poor are the ones who get shafted in our country.

[Mugai_hentaisha]

This is why i try very hard not to write checks. I too am like Vicki try to maintain the balance in my head. :roll:

anyway glad you learned your lesson Vicki babe

[mtbazz]

Vicki,

I think your great, very beautiful, and from what I read on this board a very warm person, but I have to disagree with you on this...

Its not discriminatipon against the poor, it is what people get for financial irresponsibility...i.e. bouncing a check...you have no one to blame but yourself...

I used to be (and still am in some respects), financially irresponsible...Over the years I have probably paid over $400.00 in penalties for bounced checks and overdrafts (mainly while I was in college)..

It wasn't the banks fault or the person who I wrote the check to....It was my own fault for being to lazy to balance my checkbook....

I guess I am the oddman out here for taking an opposing viewpoint on this..hope you dont take it personally (and I hope I dont get slammed for it!)

It sounds like you learned your lesson though, like I did, after hundreds of dollars in penalties!

[SidChromeAU]

Seems like a few here aren't getting Vicki's point. I do - loud and clear. Very witty stuff. :wink: (But did Grandma Tony have a problem with gay customers writing cheques on lesbian-only cheque writing nights?)

[Vicki Richter]

Heh... Thanks Sid. ;)

This was a true experience, but I may or may not have written about it to make a point. ;)

mtbazz - you are TOTALLY in your right to disagree with me in a constructive way like you did. You're absolutely right on. It is up to the individual to be responsible for themselves in reality.

However, I think how it was discrimination was because society finds all these clever ways of sapping their money. We give less fortunate people credit cards. but with 19.9% interest (22% if it's a Sears Card), we give them loans with insane payback interest, we offer them check cashing or advancing services which take 5-10% of their check, we have things called pawn shops where we give them hope that they will only temporarily be loaning the shop their things... Hell if they are REALLY desperate, we have loan sharks who charge immediate interest on the loans.

It's really sad. My story really highlights the check bouncing thing. While well-to-do people may bounce checks, it's a little unlikely. The financially challenged are more inclined to do it because of lack of education, lack of money, or as mtbazz suggested, lack of responsibility.

When you take $110 from someone who was already broke to begin with I am sure it teaches them a lesson, pretty harsh though. I think this is more addressing a social injustice. :)

Vicki "don't eat at Grandma Tony's in Tucson" Richter

ps - I realize that almost none of you live in Tucson, and the odds of any of you who do actually buying from Granda Tony's is pretty microscopic. Next up on my pulpet, my Verizon story...

[mtbazz]

Yeah, I can see your point Vicki...There are people out there that are genuinley challenged financially....it is unfortuante that the system is set up to hurt them more than they are already hurting...but thats life for you sometimes...hard and painful!!

[a994]

Vicki, I'll make sure ol' Grandma Tony never gets any of my business if I am ever in Tuscon.

And because I myself have never been known for being financially wise or responsible, I prefer to pay for things with cash or money orders. I know neither of those two items will bounce. Or I'll use my ATM card but just make sure I have some money in it before I use it and include the service charge in whatever I buy.

[TSCURIOUS]

As a frequent lurker and infrequent contributor -I have to agree with mtbazz. We all know the rules of life - and while I feel bad for you (back then) - If any establishment gave everyone a "break" it would be us/me that would have to pick up the tab (so to speak)
That being said - Vickie - I'll deliver a pizza to you anytime and anywhere!

[loki]

As a frequent lurker and infrequent contributor -I have to agree with mtbazz. We all know the rules of life - and while I feel bad for you (back then) - If any establishment gave everyone a "break" it would be us/me that would have to pick up the tab (so to speak)
That being said - Vickie - I'll deliver a pizza to you anytime and anywhere!Hell.i'd even pay it.

[spooker609]

As a frequent lurker and infrequent contributor -I have to agree with mtbazz. We all know the rules of life - and while I feel bad for you (back then) - If any establishment gave everyone a "break" it would be us/me that would have to pick up the tab (so to speak)
That being said - Vickie - I'll deliver a pizza to you anytime and anywhere!Hell.i'd even pay it.

I'll deliver you a pizza , but I ain't takin no check from you! but I'm sure we could work something out or more like IN!! :D

Seriously though that was F'd up that they wouldn't work with you on it.

[TSCURIOUS]

I offer to deliver the pizza and everyone rides my coattails - of course I'm buying! In fact - I have nothing to do this weekend - so I'm packing for destinations to be determined-
Vicki - Where are you?

[Hara_Juku Tgirl]

Lmao..thats pretty funny! :lol:

~Kisses.

HTG

[suckseed]

Uhh....two years is a long time to respond to a thread. Ah well.
Here. Have a picture of a cd.

[TSCURIOUS]

HTG - At my expense? You are so cute!

SS - You're right, I never looked back - a994 - how did you find this one?

Vicki - the offer still stands!

Remember - If life's got you down - pull down your pants and slide on the ice!

[blackmagic]

* makes mental note, balance check book, so im not screwed over * :shock:

more of Aubrey >

[Trogdor]

I don't care what some say that it's some sorta justice system, here's my take on way bank people are scumbags. :2cent

*puts some glasses on his dragon snout and speaks in his best John Cleese voice*

Interesting how when you write a check that bounces, the bank charges you more of what they know you don't have any of, much to the irritatation of college students juggeling work and school. No schools teach how to manage finances. :roll:

Banks are infamous for being scumbags......

Bank managers irritate you by immediately writing to you when you owe them money. To combat this.... for those of you that are now in credit, write to the bank that they owe you money and would the manager please come to see you. :idea:

The banks themselves are in the business of making money. When they get ahold of yours, they make it as difficult as possible for you to get any of it back. To this end, they open right after you arrive work and 2 hours before you come home. And should you sacrifice your lunch hour to join the line of angery people in the street outside the bank, don't blame the single cashier on duty for the slowness of the service, for the more clever cashiers are already out at for lunch. In this way, banking hours have been tailered for the needs of two classes of persons: The unemployed and bank robbers. The increase of bank robbers in the country is not as horrifying as it sounds, since it is now known that over 70% of robbers are only frustrated customers trying to get at there money. Yes, banks are maddeningly greedy :soapbox


This is another public rant by the Trogdor for president campaign 2012 & 2016. :mrgreen: :slimer

[Felicia Katt]

Remember - If life's got you down - pull down your pants and slide on the ice!
close, but not quite :)

The saying goes:

Ladies and gentleman, take my advice:
Pull down your pants, and slide on the ice."

It was said on the old MASH show by the psychiatrist
Dr. Sydney Freedman.

FK

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

You aint poor. Pay the bill and leave the crying to the real poor.

[TSCURIOUS]

Felicia - I stand corrected as that is exactly the quote I was referring to.
Now who said "Reality is for those who can't handle alcohol"?

[john.sickandtired]

I had something similar, but only with starbucks.

As far as the pizza establishment goes, I tend to stick to making pizza's at home with items paid for in the stores. It's a more tastier pizza and I can put whatever toppings I want on it.

John

[xrey]

Odd your first post on the board is to a 3 year old entry about an overdraft check and pizza.

:???:

[imaurslave]

The bookstore i used to go to watch shemale movies finally closed down.They made a pizza place out of it.Bet i know what's in the secret sauce,lol.

[yodajazz]

Vicki's orignal post, about paying 100 dollars for a pizza, touches on one of my central themes of life today. All of us have gotten ripped off by ridiculous penaties, but the vast amount of people have accepted this as part of life. But it is a symptom of greed and how we have been conditioned to not fight back while we are being fucked over. But the guardians of morality, the main stream religious establishment have focused a lot of people's attention on gay sex, as a moral barometer. The Bible as well a many other religious documents tell about the dangers of greed. This has been virtually igonored in recent times. A lot has to do with the false doctrine that if the rich could only keep more money it would benefit the greater society. This gained momentum under the Reagan regime. But society has not benefited from the '$100 pizza'. They have stolen from the poor, and used it to gamble with other rich people.

Now the whole world is suffering from the fact that there is less money in circulation to buy goods and services, as more money is going into penalties, and legalized gambling with our savings, called by the name of credit default swaps or derrivatives. By the way, gambling as a form of money exchange is a symtom of greed. Jesus displayed his greatest anger at the money changers in the temple. However, this is virtually ignored, as certain groups with political aims, focus people's attention on gay sex.

And to prove my point, I'll use this forum as an example. There have been countless threads that touch on the theme of 'Am I gay?'. Meanwhile we all are getting fucked in the ass, silly, by business, and we silently go our way. The "100 dallar pizza" story is a symbol of a greater issue. The sense of injustice you feel, when you know you have been ripped off is real.