Cutting off my nose to spite my face.

My husband does things a little differently than I. (Hence he wins more friends and influences more people.)

I remember as a young child, my mom totally confused me and had to explain what she meant when she said to me one day, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face." Good advice, but clearly not a motto I live by.

Albert's truck has had some issues with the ABS brakes for a little while. After being shocked and stunned last year when we found out the $1500 4wheel drive was not covered under the extra Premium warranty he purchased, we dug out the warranty papers.

Yes indeed, ABS brakes are listed as being fully covered. Yay! We dropped the truck off at PG Motors.

When he went to pick it up the woman at the desk handed him a bill for three hundred and some dollars. When he told her his paper work quite blatantly stated it was covered by warranty she argued saying the computer said he didn't have extra coverage.

And this is where our approach to life differs. Since his papers were in the truck which was still out in the shop, he just paid the bill and intended to get the papers later and clear up what was obviously her mistake. I would never have paid the bill without making her go get the papers.

And sure enough when he got the truck back and pulled out the papers, he had paid for full coverage. He re-enters the shop and shows the woman his evidence. She apologizes but tells him she can't do anything for him. The other girl who entered his warranty in the computer two years ago was off work so they can't fix it; he'd have to wait until she was back.

I work in retail and customer service, and clearly understand her response fell into the "passing the buck cuz I don't know what to do" category. I would have demanded a refund then and there. And I'd probably be swearing by this point. My husband simply came home to wait for her return to work. He was angry but they probably never knew it.

A couple of days later he called the infamous Mrs Teichrob only to be told, "Oh yeah, I sent a fax to head office but I haven't heard anything back."

"Head office?? You took my money and you owe me a refund!" would have been my flipped out response. He was gentler.

He did however get a little more aggressive with her on his next call to her when she informed him that yes he would get a refund but they would keep his money tied up for a week to 12 days before they could give it back to him.

Yesterday they called to say he could come in and have the refund put back on his debit card.

Now, not being much of a shopper and certainly not one to return things, he was unaware that one must use the pin pad to allow a refund back into the account. And, as had been plainly demonstrated, the women at the desk of PG Motors are not exactly the brightest bulbs on the tree, and she did not hand him the pin pad to finish the transaction.

But she did give him some paper work and he left the building and went to work satisfied that he'd gotten his money back.

It was only after hours that I checked the bank account and saw no money had been returned to it. While I felt bad that poor Alb, who is a very busy man, has wasted a lot of time on this little episode, I knew it would just be a matter of returning once again to PG Motors and using the pin pad. And voila! I will have access to our money.

First thing this morning I get a phone call. Yes the clever women realized this morning that their cash didn't balance.

"It's just a matter of bringing in a bank card. Either you or Albert can come in," she said.

"Okay, I'm off work. I'll do it today." I respond, knowing that I have some shopping to do so I want the money.

But then she continues, "I know it's my mistake, so I apologize. But my cash is out, so it really needs to be dealt with today."

Ohhhh baby! That was the wrong thing to say to me. Your cash is out? Your cash???? My cash has been out for 2 weeks!

"If you have a credit card I can give you a refund to your credit card over the phone and clear it up right now," she continued.

My mind scrambles in many directions. Yes I'd like to clear it up once and for all. Yes I want the refund before I go shopping today. But no, I will not make your life easier for the sake of making your life easier.

"Uh, no. I'd rather have it put into my account than on a credit card."

You can bet your ass I won't be going anywhere near PG Motors today. And if you see me downtown please don't ask me why my nose is missing.