Naples Potpourri by Bill Barnett

Bill Barnett

Every year at this time I think I’m being repetitive by saying where did the summer and fall go? It seems as if I just wrote an article about the forthcoming summer and our plans in Angola on Lake Erie, near Buffalo, New York. We were with family and friends, and had fresh grown sweet corn and barbecues, buffalo chicken wings, good restaurants, and so much more. It’s not Naples, but it’s a great alternative to spend the summer. It was as I expected. We had a great time with beautiful weather, and I don’t want to see another ear of corn or another chicken wing for at least a year. Pizza runs a close third!

Speaking of Naples, I suppose after experiencing more hurricanes in my years here than most, we might consider ourselves somewhat lucky with Hurricane Helene. I feel sympathy for anyone that suffered even the smallest damage because I’ve been there and do understand your grief. The City opened today at 1 p.m. and the damage was mostly horticultural and some flooding. Quite a few roads in south Naples are closed but, all being said, we can take a deep breath and pray we don’t see any more this year, and being the optimistic guy that I am I’m just not that optimistic when it comes to hurricanes!

We all have stories to tell about life experiences. Some are funny, some aren’t but I’ll share one that recently happened to me and left me just shaking my head in amazement. One of my credit cards went through the washing machine and the dryer and didn’t survive. I called the number on the back of the card and after a few futile attempts to speak to a human I was connected and explained what happened and asked for a replacement card. The agent said no problem it would take a few days. I said there was one small issue: we were out of town on vacation and if I gave her the address of where we were, would she have it sent there? The answer was yes, so I gave her the complete address and then forgot about it. I received the card and it so happened that I needed a prescription refilled at Rite Aid that had been called in and I went to pick it up. I took the card I had just received, and the pharmacist asked for my zip code which I put in and then scanned the card. It immediately denied the transaction and gave me a number to call. I finished my business with another card, and when I got to my car I dialed the number that was given to me and ended up with the fraud department of this credit card. They asked me for my name, and address which I gave them and then they said no that wasn’t a correct address. I said it was and for at least five full minutes tried to explain it was indeed me. She told me in no uncertain terms that I would receive an email from them and it would be self-explanatory.

I was fuming and let them know it. The next day I received the email in a letter form from the Fraud Department. They wanted me to submit a notarized statement, a copy of my driver’s license, and a few other absolutely absurd requests. I finally figured out what happened. The agent that I had originally talked with not only sent the card to the address I requested, but she also made
it a new permanent address. No wonder it was denied because I used my Naples address which, of course, I would do. I responded to them that I have been a resident of Naples, FL for 51 years and they could have taken the time to check it out. I told them there was no way I was going to fill out any form for them, and I wanted a letter of apology, which I am still waiting for and will most likely never get! All because a representative of this company didn’t listen to the word “temporary” and “vacation”. Oh well, chalk up another one of those fun life experiences. Definitely not fraud!

If you think for one minute that I’m going to talk about the upcoming Presidential Election, give my opinion and reasons why you should vote for one of the candidates, I’m not. Please GET OUT and VOTE!

Welcome back, I hope you had a good summer/fall and you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and your candidate wins.

Bill Barnett, Former Mayor
I do respond to e-mails at: mayornaples@gmail.com