I feel stuck, and as my husband has suggested I keep mum for now, I am going to vent. I apologize in advance. I am curious if anybody wants to weigh in on my situation and/or set me straight....although be kind when doing so -- still licking my wounds.
A little back story:
DH and I are filing for Ch 7 (over median, attny says it'll be close). Originally planned to file 12/15, but didn't happen. Attny requested additional specific documentation, which I delivered to office on 12/27.
While in office, attny and I chatted briefly and agreed we definitely had to get filed by 12/30 or 12/31. His wife was expecting any day now and since our case is borderline, he said we couldn't wait any longer. I agreed.
12/29 DH calls me in a panic; he fears we won't get this done. Still waiting for 2nd revision of petition and call to come sign papers. I had emailed with attny assistant earlier in morning asking any updates and she indicated she was patiently waiting "with me".
DH is a doom or gloom kinda guy. I've been handling all the interactions and paperwork and told him lets take one step at a time. I reassured him that attny was adamant about filing before month end. But I suggested DH call attny office if he had concerns and wanted reassurance from them.
So DH called them. Then DH called me and once again in a panic, told me that attny's wife had baby day before, attny assistant informed my husband she had told me that and that it could be next week before we sign, as she couldn't expect attny to come into work with new baby in house.
DH got a bit out of control, and as calmly as possible, I explained to him that I was unaware that attny had baby (I knew it was supposed to be any day now), that my understanding was attny was determined to file by 12/31, and I didn't understand why attny assistant was telling him these things.
So I thought it would be a good idea to call attny assistant and clarify these things.
Apparently I overstepped some invisible boundary on that one.
I called assistant and she was basically not pleased that I was calling as she had just explained things to my husband. I stated that I needed clarification on a couple things my husband said to me......and then the condescending lecture began!
I was unable to get a word in, so I patiently listened as she relayed the events/conversations/emails of the past few days -- all things she claimed to have told my husband. Even though I was on the phone, I nodded, verbally okayed and agreed with the things she was telling me. It all sounded right on with how it happened.
So I didn't understand where the miscommunication was coming from -- why my husband was claiming it would be next week.
Once I was given a moment to comment, I was unable to even ask "why next week; attny was adamant about month end filing and was quite aware he could have a new baby any day". Assistant kept talking over me.
I finally asked if I could have a chance to ask my question -- and this is really where it got to me -- assistant informed me that she did not have the time to deal with me, that I should certainly not expect the attny to drop everything to take care of my issues since he had a new baby at home (side note -- I never requested he drop anything; in fact, I was unable to even get to my questions, so she had no idea what my expectations were), and yes, she was irritated with me because attny does have other clients to tend to also.......
Did I paint a clear picture on that? Basically, I was lectured and scolded like a 4 year old child. Am I not the paying client? Is it out of line for me to expect to be able to ask a question or get clarification without being slapped upside the head?
I tried to explain my intentions for calling, but assistant insisted on talking over me and repeating my name over and over as if she was trying to diffuse a hostage situation -- again, had I had 30 seconds to get my question out, she probably could have responded likewise in 30 seconds and call over.
Instead, after listening to her inform me what an apparent overbearing pest I was being, I told her I didn't think the call was getting anywhere, that I thought it was best we just end the call (and she just kept trying to talk over me the whole time), and I said "have a good evening" three times (all the while she's repeating my name and trying to talk over me)......after the third "have a good evening", I just hung up.
I called DH back furious for how disrespected I felt after that call. Hey, if you don't have time to talk to me, I'm a reasonable person -- just let me know upfront that now's not a good time and you'll get back to me. I can appreciate that position. But really, to make a client feel like they are imposing because they have a question? I have been an admin assistant for 20+ years -- if I EVER talked to a client that way, my boss would have kicked my butt out the door.
Anyway, it ruined my evening. DH then got a call from assistant who had to relay all her frustration with me to him and told him how out of control I was, and that this was my SECOND warning about inappropriate behavior (huh, guess I missed the first warning, and oh yeah, never heard that second warning either) and she just wasn't going to deal with me anymore, and that my DH was definitely more reasonable (uh, yeah, he's got her fooled)...yadda yadda.
Oh yeah, also told DH that she heard from attny and he confirmed we would definitely file by midnight 12/31. Gee, now how much of this could have been avoided if she had calmly listened to my questions and responded appropriately in return?
I did get an email from her shortly afterwards telling me that our petition would be available for review, that attny would send shortly, and then we'd set up time for signing.
She also pointed out in her email that she talked to DH again, and then in italicized print pointed out that she also spoke to him about her phone conversation with me (her claim was it was seconds after she had hung up with him the first time). Uhh, does she not know that DH and wife do talk? And that we had a several minute conversation between when he talked to her the first time and when I called her? But no, it was apparently just SECONDs after they had talked.....
I would love to point out to her how offended I was with her tone and demeanor. DH says let it go; don't jeapordize our case. I can appreciate that. I just don't appreciate being labeled a troublemaker, nor letting somebody paint a picture of a situation that is completely false.
So that's my vent. My attny probably thinks I'm some unreasonable, unstable lunatic now, when all I have ever been is curious, responsive, flexible and appreciative.
Love the attny, tolerating the assistant.....
Thanks for taking an hour out of your day to read!
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