Posted by Ted_MI on 2/2/05 9:01pm
Msg #19222

Re: rather embarrasing situation!!

You all just aren't going to believe this; you just aren't going to believe this. I had a signing last week, a refinance from a very reputable title company. So you know I wanted to do a good job. Well anyway, the title company had specified that the signing should be done with a blue ink pen. Well, it appears that most of my pens are black. So I am scrounging around and Eureka I finally encounter a blue pen. So I am all set. I quickly grab it and jam it down into my pants pocket and now I am off on my merry way.

The borrowers, a couple, seemed very nice. I wanted to be particularly careful, as the signing was on an investment property. That's right - no right to cancel. So I am filling out some document with my blue pen, as I had remembered to pull that one out of my pocket. And all of a sudden the wife remarks something along the lines "do you think the lender wants their documents signed with non-permanent ink?" And my initial reaction was "where in the world is she coming from" and also "what prompts her to say that". So I asked her the latter question. She said something along the lines "actually Ted it is very simple; there is an eraser on the end of your pen". And I looked at it and sure enough she was right!! I was absolutely mortified, as I am sure you can imagine. I mean like how totally unprofessional!!

Luckily they had other blue pens (without erasers , mind you) so the day and also the refinancing were saved. And what I got home the first thing I did was consign that pen to its rightful spot in the waste paper basket.

Reply by Marla_NorCal on 2/2/05 10:15pm
Msg #19235

Re: rather embarrasing situation!!

Yeah Ted!. Good save.
Pens seem to be a problem. Sometimes mine run out when the borrower is in mid-signature!!! My pens are all brand NEW! ARGGGGGG

Reply by BrendaTX on 2/2/05 10:19pm
Msg #19237

Pens

Sometimes I have found that some men's body chemistry causes the pens to stop writing. Their skin reacts with the paper or something and it's hard as heck to get a pen to write. Most often happens with the paper they use at Beneficial Finance. Weird!

Reply by Melody on 2/3/05 6:48pm
Msg #19363

Men who cause pens to stop writing

Brenda said "...I have found that some men's body chemistry causes the pens to stop writing. Their skin reacts with the paper or something..."

I assume that the problem has more to do with the words on the paper they are signing than the paper or pen ink.

Perhaps the text refers to:
*a promise to always put the seat down
*a promise to do at least half of the housework
*a promise to keep their jaws off the floor when a Looker walks by
*an affidavit that you are more important than beer or football

Reply by Ted_MI on 2/5/05 8:44am
Msg #19493

Re: cute but.........

Expecting them to sign an affidavit (no less) that you are more important than beer or football is a tall order, particularly given the timing of your comment (with the superbowl tomorrow evening). LOL.

Reply by BrendaTX on 2/2/05 10:16pm
Msg #19236

Re: rather embarrasing situation!!

Love that story. Reminds me of the time I whipped out my NotRot stamp and did not take the cover off. Well...I stamped a document and of course it did not stamp anything. I realized what I had done and tried to pretend it did not happen. How stupid was that??? Why would I even care??? Being the crafty gal I am I just planned to "slip it off" discretely next document and catch up.

Mrs. looked at me like "Are you completely insane?" I said, "You saw that, didn't you?"

Much laughter - good signing.

Reply by Nd/WA on 2/2/05 11:46pm
Msg #19255

Re: rather embarrasing situation!!

I once was checking a package that was signed early in the day, as midnight passed the date changed. I almost fell over as I saw date on the docs (RTC & notary certificate) did not match what's shown on my watch. For a split second, I thought I just commited UPL for back dating and knocked myself on the head saying this is going to be a freebie b/c it was an overnight package. Luckily, the only thing staring/laughing at me was the computer monitor.

Reply by Ernest_CT on 2/2/05 11:02pm
Msg #19248

Pen color

Thanks for your bravery in telling on yourself!

What has worked for me in the past has been to carry two legal-size folders, one for the borrower and one for the lender. Before leaving home, I write "Borrower" on one and "Service" on t'other. The special trick is to write the words in the correct pen color, then toss four (borrower, co-borrower, me, spare) pens of that color into the "Service" folder.

If the signing is "blue", then I take my "normal" pen out of my pocket and toss it into the briefcase so I don't use it out of habit.

Hope this tip helps!

Reply by Jon on 2/3/05 12:52am
Msg #19265

Re: Pen color

Unless specified, I use black for all signings. What I do is keep approx 5-8 black pens and 5-8 blue pens in my briefcase. I rubberband them together and always have the correct color pen. It is also helpful when one of my pens run out of ink. I just hope they don't tell me to use green or purple, then I would be "up a creek."

Reply by Deltecia on 2/3/05 2:22pm
Msg #19343

Re: Pen color

Try the escrow company requiring you use blue ink to sign docs with and black ink to fill in information like county, state, and date. Now that's confusing. Switching back and forth with the different color pens is irritating during a signing and the borrowers laugh at you. Well, they laugh at me

Reply by Jon on 2/4/05 12:49pm
Msg #19424

Re: Pen color

If the company wants the borrower to sign with blue ink, fine. I always sign with black when filling out the notarial section and my signature. I will not switch back and forth, that's ridiculous.

Reply by carlosnyc on 2/3/05 12:54am
Msg #19266

Re: Pen color

Ted just buy some blue pens at your local office supply store and keep them in your bag. That's what I do. I carry both black and blue pens.

Reply by calipat/ca on 2/3/05 1:10am
Msg #19270

Re: Pen color

I also do the same I carry blue and black pens in my brief case. I even have a box of BIC (cheap) pens of both colors in the trunk of my car....just in case. Of course they probably won't work because they get cold at night....hmmmm maybe I should try them out. Of course I am in sunny San Diego.....does it really get cold here?

Reply by Ernest_CT on 2/3/05 1:34am
Msg #19274

"Cold" in San Diego?!

Hmpf! San Diego residents feel cold and shiver at temperature that New England residents think about putting on a tee shirt.

Reply by calipat/ca on 2/3/05 2:11am
Msg #19278

Re: "Cold" in San Diego?!

Ernest you are so right about that. I wake up to about 40-52 degrees and by noon it is in the high 60's or low 70's very very nice. I love SD been here 15 yrs.

Reply by Ted_MI on 2/3/05 5:46am
Msg #19279

Re: Pen color

Carlos,

That is exactly what I did!! Tx for the advice.

Reply by HL in PA on 2/3/05 7:53am
Msg #19290

Re: Pen color

Ted, At least you got a good laugh out of it. Its humbling experiences such like this to remind us that we are all human and not some robotic piece of crap roaming the earth. I always keep blue and black pens in my briefcase. It would be just my luck to have the pen run out of ink.

Too be honest with you, when you said that you put the ink pen in your pants, I was waiting to read that the ink pen had exploded in your pants and the Mrs. commented on that!!!

Reply by Lee/AR on 2/3/05 9:13am
Msg #19302

My NSA briefcase contains...

8 each blue & black pens, a calculator, business cards. envelope slitter, couple binder & paper clips, magnifier sheet so people who forgot their glasses can read the docs, 1 plastic 2-compartment legal-size folder to hold docs & b's copy, a 12 compartment thingy with every 'extra' doc I might need--i.e. Loose acks, jurats, sig/name aff, a/k/a, etc., a plastic-sleeved sheet of paper w/every area UPS-FedEx Drop box location, 1/2 dozen sheets of notebook paper just in case b needs to make notes, State Notary Handbook (it is small) , little bitty stapler, a plastic-sleeved really good generic explanation of Docs & TIL, a hard-topped mouse pad (for 'notary-stamping' on rough surfaces), a prepaid phone card, a pair of footie socks (for muddy paths/white carpets/fussy b's), small flashlight, 3 desks (OK...just legal sized hard plastic things)...oh, yeah & my Journal & Stamp. Whole thing weighs 5 lbs--exclusive of docs. Ain't nothing I'm not prepared for...cause it's all happened and I've used every fool thing in it at some signing or another... BTW, you should see the look on people's faces when they realize that they don't have a clean, smooth, flat surface in their house & I pull the 'desks' out of my briefcase!

Reply by Art_MD on 2/3/05 9:23am
Msg #19303

Re: My NSA briefcase contains...

I not quite as organized -BUT I actually have a real fountain pen with black ink in it (Parker circa 1960). A couple of times I've pulled it out and offered it to the borrowers. Those in their "golden years" got a laugh out of it and used it. Really broke the ice and signings went smooth.

Art

Reply by Julie-MI on 2/3/05 9:41am
Msg #19305

Re: My NSA briefcase contains...

Wow, Lee, you sound prepared.

I walk up to the door with only an envelope with the docs enclosed and a few pens in the envelope. I know who want's which color. My cell and keys are in my coat pocket. That's it.

Not even a briefcase, cats seem to like to lounge on it and I'm not a cat fan.

Reply by Lee/AR on 2/3/05 10:13am
Msg #19310

Re: Cats & Dogs, Parrots & Ferrets, Kids & My NSA briefcase

Keeps 'em off my lap! Used to just appear with FedEx/UPS env., but... as 'situations' developed... began 'adding' things. A side benefit to the big ol' black briefcase is that...well, they ARE impressed & show some respect (works on kids, too) and it makes all things go smooth. Really. Try it & see for yourself.

Reply by Art_MD on 2/3/05 10:22am
Msg #19311

Re: Cats & Dogs, Parrots & Ferrets, Kids & My NSA briefcase

Also, 2 small bags - 1 has pup-a-roni dog treats, 1 has pounce (chicken flavor) cat treats.

Reply by Lee/AR on 2/3/05 10:52am
Msg #19321

Tried that but once, Art...

with totally disasterous results! Dogs got to fighting over it and the cat wound up on the docs, got shooed off & made a flying leap to safety and the docs went flying.... and I eliminated critter treats. OK, this is silly... but it works. I keep a small ziplocked bag of big SOFT marshmallows in my car specifically for 'junk yard' dogs. Toss one at 'em & 1 of 3 things happens: 1. They eat it & are your buddy. 2. They get this soft mushy weird thing in their mouth and sorta wander off wondering what to do next (but they forget/can't bite with a marshmallow in their mouth) or 3. Flatten it with a paw... and then have this soft, flatenned and now sticky thing stuck to a paw...which they try to get off...and then discover it tastes good...and then (See 1 or 2). Learned this one as a field rep. for the Dept. of Agriculture...works on cows & horses too. OK, I'm thru being silly. Back to work.

Reply by hL in PA on 2/3/05 11:19am
Msg #19324

Re: Cats & Dogs, Parrots & Ferrets, Kids & My NSA briefcase

I have a funny story that I thought I should mention and it also taught me to come with anti-bacterial cleaner for my hands.

Over the summer I had a closing that was about 20 minutes from home. I arrived 10- 15 minutes ahead of my schedule. When I pulled into the borrower's driveway the wife was sitting on their steps of their front porch and she had 2 small kids (boy and girl..one was 3 years old the other was 4 years old). I might add that the 4 year old was sucking a pacifer!! Both kids were also rolling around the driveway near the porch... yes I said driveway!

So I gather my belongings for the closings, get out of my car, walk up and introduce myself to the borrower. The kids are racing us up the steps into the house. Well when she opens the storm door I can see that the outside of the front door as crayon and marker marks all over it like the kids had used it as a drawing board. So I said to myself, okay this should be interesting! Well what was happening outside was nothing compared to what I saw when I physically entered the home. It was absolutely without a doubt the most nastiest house I had ever seen in my life. I know that with kids that sometimes things can get a little unorganized or "junky" but this house was nasty. It even had a weird "nasty" kind of smell to it. There were 4 cats. One of which I might add was lounging on their dining room table. but I guess it was okay because you couldn't see the top of the table because it was covered in all kinds of left over foods, papers, basically you name it and it was there. So the Mrs. introduced me to her husband who was sitting at his computer (the loan was just in the Mrs. name). I asked them if they would like to make a spot at the dining room table and she said "no, it would be too much work how about right here at the coffee table? I said okay. At this point, she take the molded french fries, the soda bottles, cups and all other kinds of junk and pushes it to the side. I squatted on the floor not even letting my legs touch their carpet because it was so disgusting. The husband said "oh you don't have to use the floor you can sit on the couch" I just replied "That's okay I think I'll be okay from here" They had covers ont the covers on the sofas that looked like their were pulled from the trash. There were toy bins everywhere and just an amazing amount of stuff to the point that these people literally had a walk way in their family room and nothing more. As me and the Mrs. started the closing, she gave the little girl her ink pen to hold. Of course I knew I would have to pay close attention to that little girl with an ink pen in her hand over loan documents. As expected, she attempted to try and scribble on a page that I had just notarized. I asked the Mrs. politely if she could take the ink pen to insure that we didn't have any accidents happen that would delay the process of her loan. She was totally okay with it. Then the MR. said "yeah she's taking the loan out because I'm unemployed from the techy industry and we have to keep our heads above water for now". I thought this poor woman is going out working everyday (2 jobs is what she told me) while he is at home and this is what she gets. None of my business though...I'm just here to notarize the docs. Right. To top it all off the dad said "uh oh, something smell" I thought "something smells worse that what I was smelling anyway" It turns out that the 4 year old had pooped in his diaper. Yes, you heard me correctly!!!

I contact my husband before every closing and after every closing, so that he knows where I'm at and to let him know that I'm okay afterward (sadly its the world we live in). Well, when I called him after this closing I told him to have the shower running for me when I got home because I even felt dirty. I didn't even want my hands to touch my face and the smell that was in that house was in my nasal passage, I swear. I have no idea how some people can live their lives like that. I guess I was amazed because I have seen some things but this really topped the cake. I almost felt as if I needed to contact Child Protective Services or something. Rather than do that, I did inform the SS that I worked for of the mess that they sent me to (not that it was their fault...how could anyone have known).

I guess my point was just to share this crazy kind of story and to always expect the unexpected...whether it is having the wrong ink pen, surrounded by animals you don't care for or unclean places. That was an incident that I will never forget and I don't know if I could do again.

Reply by Julie-MI on 2/3/05 2:34pm
Msg #19346

Re: Cats & Dogs, Parrots & Ferrets, Kids & My NSA briefcase

I don't use my briefcase for respect. It's all in your posture and gestures and not too overly smilie and gushy.

In the event I need the items, they are in my briefcase in the car.

Reply by Lee/AR on 2/3/05 4:21pm
Msg #19353

Re: Cats & Dogs, Parrots & Ferrets, Kids & My NSA briefcase

Absolutely, Julie... but the briefcase works great on kids!

Reply by Charisma on 2/3/05 5:28pm
Msg #19356

Lee/AR...

Thanks for the post! Very, very helpful tidbit. I'm going shopping when I get done today, for sure... ; ).