wind up

I thought computers were supposed to make life easier? Well, my utility company is using one to make themselves richer. They sent me a bill for about $80 to be paid by May 13th. This bill was from an actual meter reading, so it must be right yes? Yesterday I got another bill saying my $80 was overdue (it still isn't 13th May yet and my internet transfer will take place on May 12th) and I owed another $160 to be paid by May 20th. Needless to say my blood pressure went through the roof. So I phoned the company so I could have the pleasure of arguing the toss with one of the world's most uninterested-in-anything-you-have-to-say people (where do they find them?). Apparently the very clever computer noticed that $80 was less than we usually pay and in spite of the fact that it was an actual meter reading, the computer 'decided' to estimate a more favourable bill (for them, not me). The dear girl on the other end of the phone told me she could adjust the bill if I gave her new readings. Why the bloody hell should I have to when they'd only just done it for themselves? Not only that, I didn't want the poor darling to break a nail typing all those nasty numbers in. I think I would have been happier to talk to the darn computer - at least I speak its language - 1011011001001111100101010001011