TRY and do something nice for someone.......

[vernacular_life]

I give up.

We got my parents high speed internet/cable modem for christmas.  My dad's such a tightwad that he didnt' want to spend the extra $$ each month for non-dial up, even though he runs his own consulting business from home.  (my mom is so annoyed w/ dialup that she doesnt get on the computer at home)

I arranged through their cable company the purchace of the modem & professional install, and there was a bundled package that upgraded their basic cable to digital for free (free box too) and added a bunch of features onto their digital telephone.  All together, this will increase their bill by $35 a month. 

After setting the installation appointment, I typed up a flashy (literally!) email to them announcing that they need to be home on the date/time to accept the delivery/installation & listed all of the stuff they'd get.  I even paid their bill in advance for 3 months

So now I get this email in response:

Can we do this without the digital cable?  If not, we loose our HBO?  Neither of us really want the cable - I didn't realize this was also what you were looking at, only the internet.  Daddy said he can install the internet, and not need the "professional installation".  If cox sees the HBO connect, we might get into trouble.  We didn't do it, the guy who installed the cable when we first moved there did it, BUT we're still not paying for it and I think we will be reported to Cox.  I don't want to go to jail or pay a huge fine

Apparantly, when they got the cable set up, they got 'basic hbo' turned on for free somehow, and now they don't want to a) loose it, or b) pay $12 a month for it.  

They never watch any movies anyway...only Sopranos and Six Feet Under, both of which are in hiatus right now.......

After about 10 back and forth emails from paranoid parents, I'm about to pull the plug and forget the whole f#$%ing thing.

Comments

[a-wags.livejournal.com]

my parents pulled some similar shit on me this week. I dont get it

[vernacular-life.livejournal.com]

what is it with parents?! Mine don't really NEED anything, don't like food (!!), don't really drink that much, don't go out to dinner anywhere, don't have any hobbies per say, don't like 'craft projects' that i've made, and think a contribution to charity in their name is a stupid waste of money. I tried to buy my dad golf lessons last year & he had no interest. Got mom a year of facials, and she used 2 of them. Got them netflix for fathers day, rented 3 movies.

so next year: no gift. Problem solved.

[tray85.livejournal.com]

Ah for crying out loud! Sorry your good intention turned into a rat's nest!! They sound very hard to buy for.

[tinksdust.livejournal.com]

Ack! What a mess. You try and help someone out and get crap in return. Bah humbug!! I hope you're able to straighten things out so that everyone is happy and you don't lose too much more of your sanity.

[vernacular-life.livejournal.com]

I just think that they fear change. I told 'em if they're so afraid, just call the cable co and fess up, offering to mail a check.

[njlorelei.livejournal.com]

It's so hard to buy for parents. Though I know when I was getting free Showtime it was hard to give up when I moved since I knew the installation mistake wouldn't be made again. Maybe you just need to offer to pay for the HBO too and the situation will be solved!