How it all Came Down

Update on Running Out of Time

I

f you have been reading my posts you probably have already figured out that the bank did not foreclose. Somehow we managed to get the money to the lawyers on time.

This is how it happened.

Remember, my husband had been speaking to our local MPP's assistant? Well my husband gave a copy of the psychologist's diagnosis to Nick who shared it with the MPP. Interestingly, the MPP used to be a doctor. He read the document and immediately said he did not understand why WSIB had not approved the claim. 

The MPP wrote letters to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Labour explaining the situation.

The Minister of Labour wrote a letter to Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer, Chair of the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board of Ontario. 

(Here's just a bit of background information about Mrs. Witmer. Elizabeth Witmer was appointed Chair of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) on May 17, 2012, following more than 30 years of continuous public service.She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 2012, representing Waterloo North, and later Kitchener Waterloo. During that time, she served as Deputy Premier, Minister of Labour, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, Minister of the Environment, and Minister of Education.)

It took approximately one week between each letter. Then surprise my husband received a phone call from WSIB. That was Monday June 18, 2012. Sorry but I can't remember the title or name of this person who called but I think she was Mrs. Witmer's assistant. She told my husband she had his file in front of her and would be reviewing it that very same day. She also said she would have an answer before three o'clock that afternoon. 

Holy cow! Freak us out. After all this time. It was nerve racking. Each minute was torture. We felt positive she would come back with an approval but there is always that small chance scratching at the back of your mind - what if.

A little after three o'clock, my husband received the call. His claim was approved. Yahoooooo! Treatment! Money!

When? When will treatment start? When is the money coming? We need the money to be at the lawyers office by July second! We are running out of time.

Tuesday came and went. 

Wednesday.

Thursday.

My husband called me at work in the morning. He received a cheque for almost six thousand dollars by Purolator. Wow. We need more but it was a great start.

He took his cheque to the bank to deposit the cheque into his account.

There's a problem.

PROBLEM! What problem?

Gary has not earned any money in more than a year. The bank closed his account a long time ago because it was inactive. At the time, his bank account was in the minus. Quite a bit in the minus.

When my husband found out his bank account was closed, he had to speak to the Assistant  Manager because the Manager was away for a few days. They could not reopen his account and would not open a new one. 

He lost it. I can picture it. His face all red, frothing at the mouth, and that vein in the middle of his forehead enlarged and throbbing. Yep he was yelling, swearing and calling her names.

As usual, when something is going on, my husband called me at work as soon as he got home to tell me what happened at the bank. I listened and told him to go to a different bank and open an account. He agreed but turned out he didn't. He ended up calling the Assistant Bank Manager and apologized for his behaviour - explaining how his PTSD made him do it.

Friday June twenty-second. I got up as usual and started to get ready for work. He started bugging right away. "Take the day off." "Go to the bank and cash the cheque." Shit. He just wouldn't stop so we went to the bank.

We didn't wait long for a teller. I explained that my Husband did not have a bank account and we needed to have this government issued cheque cashed. She told us that she would have to put the cheque on hold for five business days. Please, I asked, we need at least four hundred dollars because our house insurance had to be paid before four-thirty or it would be cancelled. We have been waiting a year for this money. We have missed house insurance payments so many times and they would not wait. If we did not make this payment deadline our insurance would be cancelled then it would be impossible to  obtain insurance anywhere else. And since our mortgage was at the lawyers, the bank would foreclose faster if the house insurance was cancelled. 

The teller apologized. She wished she could help. The bank's policy was to put a hold on large cheques like this one. Even government cheques? I asked. Yes because sometimes the government will put a stop payment on a cheque. I pleaded some more. She said she would be right back. She wanted to speak to her supervisor.

Oh look. It was the Assistant Manager. She came over to us. She would not cash the cheque. She would not allow me to deposit the cheque and disburse a few hundred dollars to us. She could verify the cheque on Monday and cash the cheque. We explained about the deadline and Monday would be too late.

The Assistant asked us to take a seat and wait for a few minutes. She had to take care of a couple of things and call  head office.

Ten minutes later she returned and asked us to join her in  her office.  No good news. The bank wouldn't budge. No money for us here.

My Husband freaked. He walked out swearing. I sat there for a moment trying to compose myself. Tears swelled up in my eyes. I apologized to the Assistant Manager and explained, it's been hard. I stood up slowly and walked out of her office and out of the bank.

When I got to the car, Gary was standing beside it having a smoke. His cousin, Claude, who came along for the ride was having a smoke too. 

Claude told Gary to go to the bank he deals with. My husband has no identification but we decided to give it a try. 

I sat in the car while Claude and my husband went into this bank. 

It was really hot in the car. It must have been thirty degrees with the humidity. I had two smokes. I was getting anxious because I had to get to work.

Finally. They came back. I couldn't read the expression on Gary's face. He sat down in the driver's seat. 

Well? 

No problem. 

Jack had went up to the teller with my husband and said, hi, this is my brother and he needs to open a bank account. This teller has a thing for Jack. They were flirting back and forth while she looked my husband up on the computer. She found him there from years and years ago when he had an account there. She opened a new account. She called WSIB and had the cheque verified right then and there. My husband deposited his cheque and took some cash out. No holds either.

I closed my eyes and thought, thank you. Thank you so much.

We went straight to the insurance company and my husband plopped the money down.  

Saved again.

What a great weekend we had. Okay we were foolish but I didn't care. We ordered in food on Friday night. Went shopping on Saturday and on Sunday. It was fantastic. I don't even remember when I could go out and just spend. There were so many things we needed. It was hard choosing. Pluck it. Buy whatever came to mind. Yah!

I spent four hundred dollars! I bought for two of my daughters, for my husband, for two of my granddaughters and things for the house. It felt so good to be able to buy for my family. It had been so long. I wanted to spoil them and I did.

I knew more money was coming. Wednesday afternoon another cheque came by Purolater. And another cheque.

My husband deposited the cheques in his brand spanking new bank account and had a certified cheque made out to the lawyers office in the amount of eleven thousand dollars. And a couple hundred to spare. He went straight to the delivery company and had it sent out with a void cheque. 

Just in time. Proof of insurance was sent out on Wednesday. The lawyers received the money and void cheque on the last day. Friday June twenty-ninth before closing. 

Saved again.

I have been very fortunate to have so many caring people in my life. Everything in the universe shifted to save the day at the last minute. Thank you.

Do you have a similar story to share? I would love to hear it.