Freeday 20 November 1998

It started snowing before I went home from work (late again, but not quite as late as most of the week). It's expected to turn into rain for the weekend. Oh well. I can live without basking in the snow. I would be surprised if there isn't easily enough winter to go around this time too, up here in Norway. :)
A somewhat disconcerting development (by Norwegian standards) occured yesterday. When I came home late in the evening, there were two envelopes in the snailmail box. One was from THORN Norge AS, a company that specializes in renting out various useful stuff, but also has dabbled in selling on hire-purchase (?), delayed payment. Anyway, long time ago I bought a computer from these people and have payed monthly installments since, ca US$66 per month (to use a well known currency). I sometimes skip a month or two and pay them next month, and the bill was for three months. It was nominally dated the 10th of November, though it arrived here the 19th, and the envelope lucked out to not have a date stamp. Hmm. Anyway, the other envelope was unstamped, unadressed, and contained an unsigned letter on THORNs stationery telling me that it was in my own best interest, as well as that of the nameless author of the letter, that I pay the money immediately.
That's hardly a problem, given the amounts we're talking about here. The problem is having nameless people sneeking around my place. He (I assume it was a he) was lucky in that I wasn't at home at that time. I told the people on Thorn this today, as I asked them to clear the account immediately. I really think it's misplaced to treat a small regular payment the same way you treat a large shipment of cocaine. (Or whatever these people are used to doing when not working for THORN.) I don't like to play by their rules, but I am a flexible man.
Just to prove this, the doorbell rang this evening after dark. I turned off the lights inside and grabbed an easy-to-handle weapon before unlocking the door and stepping quickly aside. My landlord was probably slightly surprised, as he came to discuss a minor water leakage.
One way or another this thing is not finished - not by a long shot.