The Statesman Shafted Me Today

It's my own fault, really. Last year when I renewed my subscription I paid for a whole year up front so I wouldn't forget to pay my bill. I could always tell before when my bill had gotten "lost" in the mess that is called my desk. I would mosey on up the driveway ready to pick up my newspaper and it wouldn't be there. I usually suspected a newspaper bandit was responsible, but quickly remembered seeing a bill in a stack. Somewhere.

On Friday the same thing happened but I wasn't expecting it since I had paid for my renewal sometime last year. Well, apparently that was a year ago and the recent bill the Statesman sent me was misplaced. Somewhere. So I broke down and spent the 50 cents on Friday's paper. I know I could have easily read all the important news online, but something about sitting down with coffee and the paper in the morning just feels better.

Today when I got up to get the paper I was excited to see from the front window that all of the neighbors had free promotional issues in their driveways in the pink bags. That means I got one, too, and wouldn't have to drive to the gas station for my copy!

I was disappointed to see that I had been skipped in this little giveaway. It was sad to be the only one in our cove who didn't have a newspaper. Instead of turning around in shame knowing that all of the neighbors were now aware that I hadn't paid my bill and was been penalized for it, I walked on over to our neighbor's house and swiped theirs like a paper bandit in the night! I took it out of the bag and turned around to head home with a grin on my face. I had my free paper.

It's a good thing they were out of town.

Thanks for the free promotional paper, Austin American Statesman. I'll pay my bill on Monday.