Paid In Full.

Three months ago, my brother Eric who lives independently in a care home, asked me to set it up that he could have meals delivered to his flat. I didn’t think it was a good idea as he pays for a cooked meal, 7 days a week to the care home Cook, and I do his food shop twice a week. But he insisted, so I sent off for the magazine one for me and one for him. His fridge is not big and all the food arrived frozen and should be kept frozen, this was my ‘argument’ with him for not ordering the food as he only has a box fridge section.

So, when our food brochures arrived I looked at all the lovely food and rang Eric and asked him to look through it and then I would ring him back in 30 minutes to take his first order; I also reminded him to, “Only order a small amount, as they would defrost and the space was very limited in your fridge.”

Eric’s first order came to around £20 but because he was there in his flat and I was at home I decided to pay for it on my bank card and get the money back from his bank when I went up town.

I made the order and it was delivered and he loved the meals. But I had to get myself organized so that I didn’t have to use my card again but to set it up that he paid for his own meals.

This is what I did, on Wednesday mornings I would ring Eric for his food order and then I would ring the food company and give them his order. I would also take his shopping food list of what he wanted me to buy him later on in the day. Later on, in the day when I went to town to do his food shop, I would pop into the bank next door with my envelope pre-wrote on with his reference number and money amount on and get the exact amount from his bank and pop it into the envelope. Then, when I dropped of his shopping, on his table I put the sealed envelope with cash of the food order, that would be delivered on Friday. When his meals were dropped off the envelope was opened and the Driver took the exact amount for his food order.

This all worked smoothly, like clockwork until last Wednesday. As usual I rang in the morning and asked Eric for his order from the book and I also got his food shopping list. Then I rang the company and gave them his food order to be delivered to him on Friday I was given the amount and I always write it down.

I had done Eric’s shopping and as was now my custom, I put Eric’s money, envelope on top of his shopping, it was then I realized I hadn’t done the envelope! Something at home, must have distracted my routine of phone call, to writing out the envelope, ready for the bank, so now I had no money to leave with Eric.

Paul said, “I will lend you the cash,” I said, “I have some cash too,” When I looked what cash I had, all I needed from Paul was £10 the total was £33.14 while Paul had a fag, I had got all the money on top of the inside of the car but of course I couldn’t leave it there for it would all fall away when I drove off, so I put the £3.14 back in my purse and tucked the £30 in the front, near my gear stick so I would see it and not forget it.

Now when I arrived at Eric’s I forget what the change was, I thought was it 14p or was it 34p? Hours earlier, I’d written it down when I was told the exact amount, but now I just couldn’t remember, then having used logic, I was sure it wasn’t 34p but 14p so I went into his flat with his shopping and the money and put it in his envelope, did his laundry and then drove the many miles back home. That was Wednesday.

Halfway through Thursday, which was a pyjama day, I suddenly thought, did I also put the £3 in the envelope along with the 14p? But I thought I must have, but the more I thought about it, I was sure I was SO focused on the 34p/14p saga that I was convinced I’d forgotten the £3 I decided to ring Eric and ask him to, “Open the envelope and look to see if there was also £3 in the envelope along with the 14p.” He opened the envelop and told me, “There is £30 and 14p,” My heart sank, I said, “OK.”

It had rain hard all day, I rang the company and I just could not get through! They could not hear me but I could hear them clearly, I thought maybe my phone was at fault, but I rang Paul from upstairs and we could hear each other perfectly then I rang two other people and they had no problems hearing me, it seemed the fault was with them. Over many hours I tried to ring them but to no avail. So, I said to Paul, “If I can’t get through before they close, to pay the bill using my card, then we will have to drive over there and hand him the £3 before the delivery Driver brings his order tomorrow.” I really didn’t want to get out of my pyjamas for £3 but thank goodness I was able to get through to the company just before they closed. Phew! I paid using my bank card the full amount of £33.14. I was so relieved, I rang Eric and said, “I have just paid in full your food order for tomorrow so tomorrow when the man delivers your meals, do NOT give him the £30.14 as it has all been paid, OK?” Eric replied, “OK.”

Eric, is a vulnerable adult with mental health. So just to make sure, I decided to phone him first thing Friday morning to remind him, “Do NOT pay the £30.14 to the delivery driver as it was all paid in full yesterday,” He replied, “I won’t.” It was a job well done, and I was happy that I’d phoned again Friday morning.

Now usually I do Eric’s other food shop, it is usually on Saturday’s but I was working, I decided as a one-off I would go over to his, Friday evening, instead. As I dropped of his shopping, I noticed the envelope on his table and looked inside and it was empty! I said to Eric, “Where is the money?” He replied, “The man said, I hadn’t paid,” But I told you, you had!” And I added, “Why didn’t you tell him it was all paid?” He said, “I did, but he told me, it wasn’t.” I said in total frustration, “You should have rung me!” I was so angry inside, not at Eric but the delivery man who hadn’t listened to his vulnerable Customer, he’d just assumed, delivery, money, go! I said to Eric, as I tried to play it down, “Don’t worry I will ring them and sort it out.” I was livid inside and decided tomorrow I’d ring up and make an official complaint. He’d paid £63.28 for £30.14 worth of food! It did make me wonder with these delivery Staff and their other elderly, forgetful, vulnerable Customers how often that happens. I was gonna give them a piece of my mind!

Eric had told me when I’d asked, “It is always the same man each week. So that got me thinking, I didn’t want to ruin the good relationship he had built up with this man, who puts the meals in his fridge, for if I was to make a complaint, he could change and be horrible to Eric! But why did he take the money when it was a whole, staggering £3 short? I mean we are not talking pennies here, when every week the money in the envelope is always the exact amount? I was grateful, that they were closed the weekend (food can be ordered 24/7 on-line) but their offices close weekends and Monday is also Bank Holiday. Saturday was enough time for me to 100% cool down and evaluate the situation, and not say anything rash.

When the offices open on Tuesday, I will calmly let them know what happened on Thursday, that his bill was paid by card and the driver had also took £30.14 from his flat, even though he had told him, “It has already been paid.” I will ask them to let the driver know, “If there is no money there, the bill has been paid by card, he must not ask my Brother for money if there is no envelope on the table, then please do not assume, for it is I who pay and sort out all his bills, every single penny.” I will let them know he is now £30.14 in credit.