Delinquint

I've never considered myself delinquint, nor have I ever been considered delinquint by anyone who knows me. I have had my fair share of delinquint friends and have sworn off becoming like them. I have participated in a handful of delinquint situations, but never to the extent that someone would label me Delinquint.

Until today.

I proceded through my day unsuspectingly. I ran. I went to class, made a chiropractic appointment for Spring Break on my way to lunch, and went to work before making it back to the apartment. I came home to a message from my sister Emily who lives in Arizona: "Call me as soon as you can." There was a quiet urgency in her voice.

I called, we chatted, and then I asked what was so urgent. And the she hit me with a 20 pound bowling ball in the face.

I visit the chiropractor in Arizona about twice a year if I'm lucky. Last time I was there was in August when Mom and I drove out for a quick visit and to take some of Emily's stuff out to her. There had never been a problem with the chiro or the fact that I only came in every 6 months or so. He is a friend of my sister's and rigged up a "special plan" for payments - for college kids, he said. Maybe that special plan was to ruin college kids' credit reports.

Apparently, at my last appointment in August, I didn't pay (due to this "special plan" remember that), and because I didn't pay at the time of the visit, the cost rose from $38.40 to $64.00.

My sister moved across town last year and I didn't update my contact information with the clinic, so when they sent out the bill for that August 19th visit, it went out to the wrong address. Consequently, all the bills were returned to the clinic. The billing department claimed (to me and to my sister) that all of the information they had was incorrect - phone numbers, address, emergency numbers and such. They had no option but to turn over the unpaid bill to a collection agency. My bill went to J & R Brothers; my agent was Vincent.

Somehow, however, today after I scheduled the appointment for next week, the people at the clinic found my contact information, called my sister and said they had to cancel my appointment because I had an outstanding claim with a collection agency. She was confused and found herself being shuffled from the appointment schedulers at the clinic to billing to Vincent at J&R Bros. and back to billing and finally to scheduling. She couldn't get any information out of these people because she wasn't me, the delinquint. She is an angel, however, because she paid my bill over the phone - with a check over the phone? - so I could keep my appointment for next week.

I talked to both the collections agency (Vincent) and Kari and Rosa in billing - they all gave me different dates of the unpaid visit and things seemed fishy to me. But what do I do?

I'm 22, I live in Indiana, and I have a collections agent after me in Arizona. "I'm a good kid, I promise. I've never been in trouble. I pay all my bills. I hate spending money, but I don't neglect payments." Somehow I doubt these words would have any effect on Vincent and his posse as they drag me into a cold dark alley to beat the money out of me. "It's only 64 dollars!" I would gasp before the final blow that would leave me unconscious as I crumple behind a dumpster.

Obviously, that scenario will never happen, but my credit report is forever tainted because of this stupid, confusing, and idiotic thing. I'd have paid it if I knew I had to. And how exactly did they get my sister's phone number today and not 3 months ago when they were getting returned mail? I'd like to ask Kari that.