You want ugly part with things like per minute, over limit, roaming, extra fees, taxes, surcharges and other financial terms. This is part that takes your $39.99 phone bill and turns it into $89 at end of month. If you’re not sure, call and ask. Some companies will even let you use your phone for free (no minutes deducted) for some of more pressing customer service issues, or if they make an error on your statement

Customer Service Give your cell phone company a call. Okay, so you don’t need to really make a call, but you’re going to make one anyway. Call them at different times of day. Did you get automated service from hell? Press 5, and then #, so you can come to 5, and a nice “thanks for your service, goodbye.” Almost every user will need to contact their service provider at some point. Make sure customer service is available 24X7 before you need to call.

Cell phone companies are notorious for incorrect billing and credit charges. Cell phone users are well known for not reading their contracts. Put these two together and you will find need to make at least one customer service call during year. 1.Can you get through? 2.Was service prompt and courteous? 3.Does customer service rep have an accurate and complete knowledge of your contract? If you find constant discrepancies between your contract and customer service line, be prepared to make calls on a regular basis to get your bills straightened out.

If you follow these simple tips, you can use your trial period to weed out a bad service with a good sales force, and avoid a host of potential problems later on.

Go ahead, enjoy your service. If it’s great, please spread word. If it’s not good, you’ll probably do that anyway. Either way, we’ll all thank you for it.

When I got home, I explained everything to my dad. As usual, my dialog was animated. I clutched bag, imitated shoemaker and walked around living room acting out my dramatic exit from shop. Then I handed my dad bag. He looked in it and smiled.

"Honey, I love you. I'm so happy that you care so much about my shoes, but what am I going to do with them now?"

That's when he pulled shoes out. The heels were removed and soles were cobbled out. They were useless, like a patient pulled out of surgery before doctor finished operation.

"Patience, honey," he said gently. "There is no point in working yourself up over something that you have no control over."

I tried to argue with his logic. I told him shoemaker had a job to do and he didn't live up to his obligation. My dad smiled again.

"Honey, think about it. It's just a pair of shoes. I have others. Choose your battles wisely and always deliver them with respect. Tomorrow you will bring shoes back to shoemaker and apologize. Explain that you understand he is busy and I am certain you will get positive results."

That's how my dad conducts his life, with patience and respect, no matter what is handed to him. It's one of many reasons I love him so much.

My father's response was not belittling or disrespectful. He reminded me that we can't always have what we want when we want it. He showed me that our responses to a difficult situation show our true character. Acceptance, forgiveness and understanding are key elements to a healthy outlook on life.

Even to this day, whenever I am in a difficult situation, I remind myself not to be a heel, and always show sole.

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Title: The Shoemaker and Brat Author: Patricia Gatto Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved Category: Parenting Word Count (including Resource Box): 800

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