…a good deed shines in a weary world.

After Monday’s infuriating debacle on the phone with CitiGroup, I was honestly dreading the phone call I had to make yesterday. When they tell you to “call back on Thursday,” it’s rarely because you’re going to hear good news.

It started the same: talking to some nice (albeit clueless) basement-level droid. Chris, after asking me the standard verification questions, said, “OK, how can we help you today? Oh, I see we have an escrow issue.” I gave him the spiel in the smallest nutshell I could devise, and he said, “Ma’am, I’m going to escalate this past the next level, to a division manager. We are going to get this fixed. Stay with me.”

I yawned. Been there, heard that, got the headache.

Then “Bobbie” came on board. As I recounted my sad tale, she asked questions along the way. After each answer, she said things like, “Yep, I see that here.” Then she interrupted me and said, “I’m sorry, but something is happening on my screen right now — as we’re talking.” I asked oh really, what? She said, “The correct amounts are being applied in realtime, as I sit here looking at my monitor. The changes have now been made. You’re all set!”

I sat in silence for a moment, then said, “You know, Bobbie, you will surely understand if I tell you that I’m a bit skeptical. I’ve heard those words from you guys before.” She laughed and said she didn’t blame me, but that I should go into my online account and look.

So I logged into my account, clicked on “Insurance and Escrow,” and there it was. Fixed. Not only was it fixed, but my adjusted mortgage payment is $9 lower, instead of gobs higher while being smacked with bogus late charges because they didn’t apply the escrow overage where they should have. Bobbie also told me that all red flags were removed from my account, and that my perfect payment record was restored.

Dare I speak it? All’s well that ends well. But I’ll be on the lookout for that other shoe, thanks all the same.

Speaking of awesome people and good deeds: my cast and crew rolled out the welcome mat for Jake and Justin’s trick-or-treat visit to rehearsal last night. They clapped when they saw Superman and Spiderman enter the room, and they gave them treats. Fantastic night.

And now it’s Finkday. And dress-down day at school. And the last football game. And payday. Allllll rolled into one. Go ahead and beat that, whydon’tya.