Even if you don't want to hear it..............
First of July an owner sends us a check......he's been sending us checks for over 15 years.........when he says his check is in the mail.....it is in the mail..........(unlike the tricks Gary and I can pull)
Anywho.......a week goes by........no check............to make a long story short, I contact Ed, he tells me what day he mailed it.......the security guard who picks up the tracks mail, goes thru her van and every one in the general office is asked if per chance it was sorted wrong and ended up on their desk.....nothing.
Ed sends us another check (got it in two days from Monroe, Michigan) and tells me to tear up the other one if it ever shows up.......he isn't going to stop payment on it.......not really worried.......and mind you, Ed is METICULOUS to a penny.......he owned a very successful car dealership in Michigan which exists to this day.
He doesn't bank on line.........received his statement yesterday.........guess what? Check was cashed.
They tell him at the bank he is going to have to wait to get a copy of the check on Monday. In the mean time he calls Buck and I, and I proceed to flip out..........let alone, at the time Buck and our daughter are racing two at Scioto and the boys and I have six in at Northfield and I'm finding out about this at 5:30pm.
Ed drives over to the branch to try and get better service.......and he does.......of course by the time he gets back home with it, I'm in the paddock, praying to God a horseman didn't steal it, or that I didn't lose my mind and deposit it!
The check went thru his bank August 1st..........it was mailed to me July 14th..........on the back is an endorsement stamp.....for deposit only, and I can't remember the exact company name but it had an INC. with a DBA, Haul-Away...deposited at a First Merit Bank in Bath Ohio.............about 20 miles from Northfield.
Haul-Away's address is Po Box 374 Richfield, Ohio.....Northfield Park's address is Po Box 374 Northfield Ohio......they are about 10 miles apart..............does anyone see where this is leading?
So..........Haul-Away received a check made out to Calvin Hollar, endorsed it, deposited it...............wouldn't you think First Merit or Ed's Monroe Bank and Trust would have some responsibility?
Well......after SEVERAL phone calls between Ed and I, and all the banks and he and I.......the answer is no............in fact, First Merit's security officer point blank told me, they will provide no more information and our issue is with Haul-Away (Which I understand they are ultimately responsible), because the bank is merely a "holder of the money".....it is not their responsibility to carefully look at who endorses the check or who it is made out too.
Of course there is no one in the office of Haul-Away today and I have to start this process over on Monday morning....................and I just PRAY they are not assholes.
Ed and his wife Angie are in their 70s so I am trying to take care of this as much as possible on my own but Angie made a good point.........she said, how could they take and cash a check with out applying it to an account as payment? And if we don't have an account with Haul-Away and you don't have an account with Haul-Away, who's account was paid on?
I am still amazed by First Merit saying they are at no fault what so ever..........and it wasn't like I was looking to place blame..........I do think it was just a mistake but it sure would help if First Merit backed up the mistake when I contact Haul-Away on Monday!
Banks make SO much money off of people, it is sickening..........and then, this is how we are protected?
I'm not going to be able to relax over this until Ed gets his money back.............which it wasn't a huge amount, but it was enough!
Needless to say...............I'm looking forward to the horsemen's outing we have planned tomorrow and a couple tall gin and tonics tonight.
Thanks for listening.....errr.....reading..........you are dismissed.
