Posted by BrendaTX on 2/2/05 5:15pm
Msg #19192
Signing Story - Slice of Life Stuff
Went to a unique little Texas town this morning ladies and gentlemen.
It's one of the few places with a real, live original General Store. I absolutely loved the drive over.
My mission: To notarize 11 pages/one b's signature on a few leftovers from a signing incorrectly performed in a law office.
My 60-something lady borrower met me at the door with black glasses encrusted with many, many white rhinestones. Classy lady - even with rhinestones. Her cottage was charming, as well as beautiful. Later I learned her business is art.
Ok. Her HELOC had notarizations left off of docs commonly known as title docs. Not the major lender docs.
She was a basket case. Apparently, she really needed this loan and it was incorrectly done. It had to fund tomorrow or something serious was going to happen...not sure what.
She was intense and tense! A couple of times I had to reach up and scrape her off the ceiling in the 30 minutes I spent with her. Lender was sending courier to pick up the docs they had faxed over to her fax machine this morning for her sig/my notarizations.
Got to the last notarization and on the venue, I got careless and put State of Texas, County of BR (oops) I was not in Brazos county. I put one line through the BR, initialed, and wrote out her county's name correctly - by the handbook rules. I decided right then that in her state of mind, I had to point it out to her so we could figure out a way to perfect it before I left. Else, when I left she might fall over with a heart attack or stroke with worry over it.
She was on the phone while I did my notary work. Came back after telling her LO to send the courier. I showed it to her and she went nuts and started yelling at me. She was gasping for air...crying...and I took a step back...and a deep breath. She said "This is literally about to make me have a stroke...my friends are worried it's killing me!!!!! And, now youuuuuuu! Why Brenda???!!! Why did you tell me that you screwed up my papers...what the *&*#& am I going to do now???? I don't know if it is OK that you did this!!! etc etc."
I leveled my gaze at her and said "Ms. VDM (dramatic 3 word last name), the reason I told you is because I am not going to leave you here looking at these documents and getting upset after I am gone."
I finally had to say: "Look at me. Listen. When I leave you will know these documents are acceptable, perfectly done and without error."
Yelling and crying, actually raging: "BUT...WHY DID YOU WORRY me with this!!!???"
"Because I am still here and I see you are distressed. I made up my mind that when I leave, you will not be distressed about my work. You will know that this is done correctly. No matter what. We will check them and recheck them until you are completely satisfied and sure."
I told her to go get her phone, call, and have the LO fax her another copy of the page with the jurat and then I would make it out perfectly.
She did, he did, I did.
She started trying to explain her behavior but she was still freaking out.
I told her "Oh please! You and my sister are alike. Things have to be exact or she flips out when something less important than this is involved. I could tell when I walked into this beautiful home that you were a respecter of detail, beauty and flawnessless. So is my sister. You are ok with me. Just let me see this showplace and we'll be square."
She said, "I am so not myself. Thank you. You really do understand and you are obviously a good person. Most notaries would have been hateful as hell to me. They would have thought I was a bitch royal and rushed out of here."
(Me thinking: You just don't know how right you are.)
I laughed. "No, you are just a woman who has obviously been through something hard lately. I know because I have seen stress myself that made me feel as if I could not get through it. And, you may be feeling that each time you stand up for yourself these days, you are perceived as a bitch. On the other hand, a man is perceived to be strong for demanding what he is entitled to."
She: Crying, agreeing, trying to regroup.
I said, "My sister's neck and chest always turns red when she's like this. You're distressed but that neck of yours is ivory white. Where'd you get this fabulous rug??"
Folks - these words just flew out of my mouth and disengaged her frustration. Usually, I will turn heel and leave when someone treats me with an ounce of disrespect or I feel threatened, but I knew this was a critical situation for her. She deserved nothing except for me to walk out and leave her fuming, but something just came over me and I became more patient than I have ever been with tantrums. Ever.
She was a very neat lady. For a split second, I almost lost my cool. I was momentarily ready to run. But, I realized this woman was extremely distressed. By the time I left, she was laughing her head off and she told me some VERY interesting things. She thanked me profusely for putting some levity into the situation and for my patience with her.
I told her that was quite alright...that it was not every day I got to meet a woman as interesting and unique as herself. And, I meant that. Very cool gal, without the breakdown symptoms.
Today, I woke up expecting a miracle. And, my miracle was the serenity which took over when I was being raged at and watching this incredible woman mid-breakdown. I knew where she was coming from without even knowing the whole story. Life can be hell sometimes...especially when you do life pretty much on your own.
As NSAs it's good to be reminded that sometimes completing the job correctly can really affect a person's whole life. Not talking about the few papers I did....every inch of her loan experience had been problematic. But, you know, realizing I had regained so much of my old self since my husband died and my own nerves had been frayed was almost payment enough for the whole experience.
Yeah, but I am sending in that invoice.
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Reply by CarolynCO on 2/2/05 9:33pm
Msg #19228
**It takes a special person to be able to deal with the elder.**
The closer I get to 60, the less *elder* it seems. I lost my Grandma a few years ago at the age of 98. She was quite a unique woman (actually my of my character and personality is mirrored from her)-- she continued living in her home with her yard and garden until the morning she didn't wake up. Her mind was still as sharp as a tack. Although she only lived 50 miles from us, unfortunately, we didn't get up to see her as often as we *could* have. She had my husband wrapped around her finger, because he's the one in the family that had the most patience with her *what could be described as sometimes demanding PITA ways* -- his philosophy both with Grandma and any older person is that they have earned a right to act and say whatever they want. Hopefully, I won't consider myself old until my 90's -- and I hope our son will treat us the same respect and dignity as Grandma.
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