I live in an apartment complex where all cars need to have a prominently displayed sticker in order to park inside. All residents must first register their cars with the complex before being able to purchase this sticker, and cars without the sticker will be towed at owner’s expense. After a small crack appeared in my windshield, I contacted my insurance and set a date to replace my windshield with their recommended company. When the technician came, I pointed out the sticker and asked him to place it on the new windshield (their website said they guaranteed this as a “Service Expectation”); he didn’t, and didn’t let me know that anything had happened to it. I didn’t realize it at the time of payment (the technician called me out to finalize payment and to try to sell me new windshield wipers). Two days later, the car was towed by the towing company the apartment complex uses (I teach Elem. Special Ed. from home, and don’t use my car often, so I didn’t notice the sticker missing). Getting my car back cost a total of $601 in the end, and when I contacted the windshield replacement company, they told me they were not liable and couldn’t reimburse me for any of it.
My question is, would I have a case against them if I went to Small Claims Court? What about the towing company or my apartment complex, where my car is registered? Do they have an obligation to check first with their apartment auto registry before towing?
Thank you for any and all assistance with this!

My household is currently auto insured with Company 1 and our premium increased pretty steep, so we started shopping around. We ended up talking with Company 2 who had said that because I have a Hyundai Tucson and criminals will be criminals, that I would be required to have a passive immobilizer installed. Their exact emailed words were "The document would have to say there was a passive immobilizers installed. The anti-theft software upgrade does not qualify for a passive immobilizer because it requires the customer to lock the doors in order to activate the system. I copied this from our underwriting eligibility guide and disagree with it. If you are able to have some kind of document stating the passive immobilizer was install the Hyundai would be eligible."
I went out and did this paying $799.42, provided the receipt as proof, and then was told: "Following up on the non-bind application for (me). Impacted Hyundai/Kia vehicles that were manufactured with a key start, like this vehicle was, are ineligible for coverage with Company 2. Company 2 is not aware of any OEM parts which can be installed after the vehicle is manufactured which would satisfy the requirement of having a passive engine immobilizer (push button start). This application will be declined by Company 2 due to the vehicle being ineligible for coverage with us."
It goes without saying that I was upset about being told I had to go do a thing, did the thing, and still got denied. I wrote back to the agent that I would look forward to a reimbursement check in the amount of $799.42. Now, I'm pretty realistic about the incredibly tiny likelihood that they'll actually issue a reimbursement. Regardless, I would like to try to get an understanding if given the information, if I might actually have a case for small claims court?

So I have full coverage auto insurance and last week my car got side swiped while parked. They didn't stop, of course, and I don't have a ring camera that could've picked it up.
I filed a claim with my insurance, and the estimate for repairs came to be a little over $2,700. The problem? My deductible is $2,500. I know some guys that do body work on the side and I'm curious if I still take the $200 payout from my insurance company, will I get in trouble? Obviously I'm still going to pay more than the $200 to whoever fixes the damage, but it won't be the full $2,500.
Thanks in advance!

Just curious on cases from anyone here, since I remember that one time a lady called in and asked me how can she claim the auto insurance, I noticed that the policy started literally that same day and I asked some probing questions like time of the accident, some minor details, and finally got to a point where I had to ask “so you got the insurance online after the accident?” and then she answered yes and how she can use the coverage since she paid for it.
It was pretty funny and silly having to explain that wouldn’t be covering this accident.

Model: Kitchenaid KDPM604KPS0
Error: E1F9
After cleaning out the tub of some grime, I noticed some food buildup on the water inlet assembly on the side. I dissolved that with some Drain-O, because there was nothing that could fit into the small plastic "water maze". That didn't fix the error, so I finally resorted to taking off the entire drain and sump assembly and removing the microfiltration system. Despite their claims that the water is "continuously filtered", do you suppose the filter might have been gummed up? Oh yes.
https://imgur.com/x01VXKm
https://imgur.com/Ilkt6JF
Dishwashers have a lot of crud that go through them. Their internal testing should have shown that buildup of food was a definite possibility. I had to pull the entire dishwasher out, flip it on its back, and find the service manual to disassemble and remove the entire goddamn sump and drain assembly, then disassembled that to get at the filter, for which there is no manual, or assembly diagram, or any such thing. Hopefully I put it back together the way it was intended.
https://imgur.com/tBdMm86
Fuck you, KitchenAid. Make your shit easier to repair.
For anyone else coming after me, if you're getting the E1F9 error (tub drain error) and no obvious obstruction, it's very possible your microfilter is all gummed up. I found the service manual here.
[Edit: I do indeed regularly run Afresh packets through the dishwasher to clean it out.]

Apologies in advance for the lengthy post, I’m just kind of anxious. Last year when I got my license and my first car, I was prepared to have to pay out of the wazoo for auto insurance with being a new driver. I did a bunch of claims for the major companies myself and was being quoted like $800-1000 a month which was obviously unaffordable. Then my coworkers told me to go to an insurance broker agency and they can help me find the cheapest rate as they work with many different insurance companies.
So I did and I luckily got a policy for only $297 a month which wasn’t too too bad. I read the quote and signed all my paperwork but it wasn’t until recently after I got hit and had to do a claim that when I went into my insurance’s actual office not the brokers office who sold me my policy’s office that I saw the agent who helped me lied and put me down as a driver with 11 years experience. It wasn’t in my paper work that I have nor is it on the app or website so I never knew. I’m already 7-8 months into my policy. I recently have been shopping around for cheaper insurance because why not? If I can get a better rate who wouldn’t switch, right? I went to another broker agency and they sent me the best quote with an insurance company that I’ve not heard of (it’s legit I researched, it’s just a smaller one that I’ve not heard of) and but this time… they included everything of the policy including years of experience and they also put 11 years even though i told them I’ve only had mine for a year. They put my accident down which is good because I wouldn’t want to lie about that.
I’m just curious if this is a normal thing? I keep hearing from all my friends and family that it is and that’s normally what brokers will do to try their best to help save you money and get you the most discounts. I just feel uneasy about it I guess. Every insurance agent I’ve talked to and got a quote from has lied about my experience even agents directly from major Insurance companies. I didn’t know if that’s like a normal thing and it’s just like frowned upon and is unethical or if it’s like a major thing and is a crime? I’m not the one lying and I did my part by telling the truth of my experience. My auto insurance currently knows and I told the insurance guy at my actual insurance company’s office and he was like basically “meh, I wouldn’t worry about it honestly. As long as you pay your policy and drive safely, you’re fine”

Insurance comes in various forms, each designed to protect against specific risks and provide financial security in times of need. Here are some common types of insurance and their coverage:

1. Health Insurance: Health insurance covers medical expenses, including doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, and preventive care. It helps individuals manage healthcare costs and access necessary treatments without significant financial burden.
2. Life Insurance: Life insurance provides a lump-sum payment to beneficiaries upon the insured person's death. It helps replace lost income, cover funeral expenses, pay off debts, and provide financial stability for loved ones.
3. Auto Insurance: Auto insurance protects against financial loss due to accidents, theft, or damage to vehicles. It typically includes coverage for liability (damage to others' property or injuries), collision (damage to your vehicle), and comprehensive (non-collision-related damage).
4. Homeowners Insurance: Homeowners insurance covers damage or loss to a home and its contents caused by perils such as fire, theft, vandalism, or natural disasters. It also includes liability coverage for injuries or property damage occurring on the premises.
5. Renters Insurance: Renters insurance protects tenants' personal belongings and provides liability coverage in rental properties. It covers loss or damage to possessions due to theft, fire, or other covered events, as well as liability for accidents or injuries.
6. Disability Insurance: Disability insurance replaces a portion of lost income if you become unable to work due to illness or injury. It helps maintain financial stability by providing ongoing income to cover living expenses and medical costs.
7. Business Insurance: Business insurance offers protection for various risks faced by businesses, including property damage, liability claims, employee injuries, and loss of income due to business interruption. It helps businesses recover from unexpected events and minimize financial losses.

I own a lawn care company, I have a $1,000,000 general liability insurance policy for the business that covers everything from us damaging any of a clients personal property, to damaging government property and power lines etc etc.
My truck is insured and titled under me personally. It's paid off and I just have liability on it.
Last week when I was parking in front of my clients house to mow it, the tail end of my TRAILER (titled under the business) took the front bumper and everything attached to it off my clients brand new Nissan Altima because I moved to quickly to park in front of their house.
So I was driving my truck, titled and insured under me, but my truck did not touch my clients car, my business trailer did, titled under my business.
Should I filed a claim against my business policy or my personal auto policy?
It's about $11k in damages, so I will be filing that no matter what.

Back in October of last year I was in an auto accident yes nothing too crazy but it gets kinda funky. At the time I was about 3 almost 4 months into the job I was on my way to work at the time I was driving maybe 4 hours out of the 9 hours everyday 7 days a week I had also drove larger vehicles commercially why do I mention any of that? It is to explain my competency, I am younger above 18 not above 21 I have a sharp mind and not to mention I am a great driver. Anyway I was ON MY WAY TO WORK NOT AT WORK when I come upon a intersection on a road I take everyday to go TO WORK speed limit is 25mph I was traveling just about that maybe a little under cause people pull out like crazy there I come upon the intersection while the light is GREEN NOT YELLOW NOT RED NOT PURPLE NOT BLUE…GREEN as I come upon the intersection just before I enter the light turns yellow not a problem correct? I was maybe 35% through the intersection when I see a vehicle approaching out of my right peripheral this vehicle did not slow did not stop proceeded towards the intersection on a road that intercepts the one I’m on they where 100% exceeding the speed limit my guess was 40mph 10-15 mph over the limit 45% of the way through I was struck in the 3oclock position in other words my passenger front fender and the beginning of my passenger door…considered a tbone everything from the right side of my vehicle shifted left I DID NOT HIT THEM THEY HIT ME. Here is where it gets real weird the person driving was not who they said was driving not the biggest problem im looking at.i was found at fault for the accident and where’s the funny stuff my insurance CLAIMED I had no insurance during the accident! Be serious with me so I took up a driving job just to drive without insurance that’s just asking for trouble now I get how people can be in todays world but believe me or not I was paying this insurance company 400 dollars on a 25 year old car that has 145hp! Seems like a lot of money for that type of car yes I was never in any previous accidents it’s just cause I’m younger but I had no issues paying that 400 as long I was insured and safe to drive I have bank statements to prove it. A couple days to maybe a week after the accident my father called to have me taken off the insurance due to the fact that it was 700 dollars after the accident for just me! And the operator said exactly “I will make it like he was never on it in the first place” ducking insane when my dad told me he said that I couldn’t believe it and I think that’s where this whole problem came from. I am dead broke and keep getting calls from a law from that deals with collections from accidents claiming I owe money that’s in the double digits I am dead broke now I have no job and I’m trying to join the military and this randomly pops up I cannot join until it’s resolved I have no money for a good lawyer and I am asking for anyone’s input on the matter and asking for direction. Thank you for reading god bless you

Back in a month of last year I was in an auto accident while TRAVELING TO WORK. I had taken a delivery job for a company I will not say but at the time of the accident I had already been working there for 3 months almost 4, I would drive maybe 4 hours total in the 9 hours I was there so I was frequently on the road. I did that 7 days a week for 3 almost 4 months you might be wondering why I mentioned that it’s to explain I am a experienced driver that also doesn’t mention my driving before that job including large commercial vehicles. I will go over the accident to the best of my recollection, I had taken a road i drive almost everyday cause it’s easy and the fastest route TOO AND FROM WORK I came upon an intersection that intercepts a one way street the one I am on is two lanes one going one and the other opposing my lane, the light had turned from GREEN to YELLOW as soon as I reached the intersection I was about exactly halfway through the intersection when I see something in my right peripheral I was traveling at a slower rate of speed per the speed limit of 25mph even then I had no time to try and avoid being hit I hit my brakes and I was hit at 2 o clock maybe 3 o’clock I will attach a picture and video below on my right passenger fender my vehicle continued to move during the accident causing my vehicle to rub against the other vehicle causing my damage to my passenger side door. Now here is where the issue falls… I was found at fault although it wasn’t my vehicle nor footage from surrounding stores took one look at the opposing vehicle and marked it my fault it gets even worse my insurance company claims that I HAD NO INSURANCE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT which isn’t true of course why would I take up a driving job with no insurance? That’s just asking for trouble… what I think might’ve happened was because my father had called to take me off the insurance which was a couple days to a week after the accident and the claim the operator with this insurance company said “I will make it like he was never on it in the first place” that was insane to me when my dad told me that I figured it would have caused problems and it did. But can any LAWYERS OR PEOPLE WITH ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE point me where I should go with this thank you for your time advice is very appreciated. Forgot this group doesn’t allow pictures…

Hi everyone!! We are in Houston, TX and have AllState renter's. We were unfortunately hit by tornadoes and lost power, water, wifi, cell service, etc. Thursday night. On Saturday, we relented that we would not get power back soon, and we decided to book a hotel (Hyatt), thus I made a claim Saturday. We called and called and no one could answer if a hotel would be covered by insurance, so we booked Saturday and Sunday night on points. Finally, on Monday they said a hotel would be covered by insurance, so now we booked Monday and Tuesday night using cash.
Has anyone had any luck getting reimbursed for points? I obviously would have booked via cash had I known the hotel would be reimbursed, but no one from claims or escalations would confirm that coverage for me. The hotel is a Hyatt Regency, and they will not give us a monetary value on the receipt for the points. I obviously know how much the night costs since we have paid that as well.
I am straight out of college and this is my first time ever dealing with anything like a tornado (or insurance outside of auto), so any advice or help on how to handle would be very graciously appreciated and would be so,so much help. Past few days have just been so draining

Well this sucks. I took a loan from my partner’s parents to buy a car for our move to Montana. This is the most expensive car (20k) I’ve ever bought and was so grateful to have the opportunity to have a real fresh start. I had just gotten a 2017 Toyota Rav4 and somehow didnt get collision insurance- i swear i am dumbfounded how this happened. Anyway, I parked in front of the library downtown to run in and grab books on reserve, leaving my dog in the back. I come out to see a cloud of dirt and my car in the middle of the road, another two cars smashed into separate trees, a pedestrian on the ground and two parking meters flattened…. everyone was ok- including my dog 😭 but my car looked bad. The police were there, my car was towed and immediately i phoned my insurance where they told me “oops you dont have collision, we cant help, call the at fault party’s insurance. bye!”….. fast forward: - major crimes is investigating what caused the driver at fault to cause this accident (still ten days later) - progressive said the guys insurance only covers Oregon minimum 25,000$ so my Rav4, kia spectra (early 2000s) and the cityy parking meters are all sharing 25,000$. - initially my rav4 was immediately totalled, then i got an estimate for 7500$ of damages and now im waiting for progressive to have a second auto shop assess if the car in totaled - i was told no rental because there isn’t enough money
I need advice so badly! i have no idea how i wouldve declined collision, but geico says i did so i literally have no insurance to help cover the difference. i asked about diminished value with his insurance and the rep said as long as car has never been in an accident than i can negotiate diminished value- great, dealer said it had no accidents. the rep did an internal search and it showed my Rav4 did have a statefarm claim opened in 2021 for damage- comprehensive?…. how do i recoup on the lost wages (which is hard to prove because i am an artist, i dont have pay stubs), dog’s medical and the fact that i have a place i pay to live at in montana and am stuck in Oregon without a place, without a car, and i can’t work and am so stressed in limbo! Im trying not to spiral in depression and am hoping the minds of Reddit can help me get out of this mess and learn from it! thank you for reading 🥺😢

Who do you have for home/auto insurance? I’m looking to switch. I used to have progressive for auto on my own but I was wondering how they are when it comes to claims with homeowner’s insurance. Ever had any issues with them? TIA

Hey - so, I've getting robbed on my auto insurance policy... I was okay with this for a while because the service and support were top notch, and the last thing I want to deal with after an accident is wondering whether I'll be covered... But recently, service and support have been declining, and I don't want to wait until I have an accident to find out how bad the service has really gotten...
The other factor is that we have our home owners' insurance bundled with the auto policy... Normally, I wouldn't be too concerned about this, but I live in a rural area where it can be hard to get and keep an HOI policy. We've been dropped a couple of times over the last 20 years... Once after a series of expensive repairs that were covered, and again when our provider claimed to be leaving the market.
We've been with our current provider for several years now and it's been fine... But the auto portion of the policy is incredibly expensive for two middle aged adults with no accidents and no points, and it chaps my ass whenever I have to send them all this money twice a year. So, I'd like to look at other options, but I don't want to risk losing my HOI policy as a result of doing so.
For anyone who knows any of the inside baseball on this subject, is there a risk that my HOI policy might be dropped if I drop the auto policy? Or am I overthinking this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[ First / Previous ]
Memory Transcript Subject: Vili, Venlil Citizen
Date [standardized human time]: December 1st, 2136
The absent adults were due to arrive any time by now. I navigated the crowd of children who milled about the field, taking a head count to ensure everyone was in sight.
Those who had family attending the excursion were bubbling with excitement to see their relatives while a couple others trailed behind me, asking me yet more banal questions about venlil society and how it feels to have fur and a tail.
“I’ll let you in on a secret,” I had told April once. “It’s really, really… itchy. Have you ever had a bug crawling on you? Feels just like that. All the time.”
Chihiro didn’t approve as much of me saying that but Mercy seemed to enjoy the reaction I managed to get from the other kids. While I felt bad for exploiting the apparent human fear of insects, they were quick to forgive me, citing they “couldn't stay mad at a face like mine.”
Truthfully, I too began to enjoy seeing the children react to the things I'd tell them; the genuine nature in everything they did was more than I'd have expected from humans when I first arrived. Some of them would watch me with curiosity and wonder as we spoke, reminding me that this was a species who had only just been introduced onto the galactic stage and still had cause to gawk at the aliens.
Well, most of them.
Toward the edge of the gaggle of children was Lukas, moping away while trying to hide the black eye Amber had given him. A part of me was - flattered - disappointed that she'd risk herself to enact retaliation on my behalf, but I knew she wouldn't understand me were I to even tell her off about it.
Over the last few weeks, I'd gotten to know many of the children, though Lukas remained as distant as ever. In a way, I felt pity to see him so small even after witnessing the pleasure he got from putting others down and how infuriating I found his antics. He was full of anger and clearly had it misdirected at all non-humans for the actions of those who participated in the extermination fleet - at least he has reason.
I brushed at my ear to ward off the tingling sensation and let out an irritated growl. My hackles raised when I heard a sympathetic growl come from behind.
Turning about, I found that the source was Amber, also swiping at her ear in a mimicry of my action. I was far less bothered by her giddy snarl after having her do it every time she approached me, though it didn't make the itch at my back from almost jumping in fear go away.
“You do that a lot,” Amber giggled. “Is your ear itchy? Wait, don't answer that because I won't understand it.”
My ears whirled about and I tilted my head slightly to look directly at the strange little girl who'd been so eager to make friends with me from the very beginning. I'd accepted that, at least in her eyes, I was “Luka” and that I existed for her to talk to endlessly about her favorite hobbies despite her knowing she wouldn't understand anything I said in response.
Even then, I was still rather worried that I'd been so frequent with admonishing the more - sensible - pushy one that Amber had taken note. How many others could have noticed? I wasn't even sure how humans viewed me, but it wouldn't matter so much now that I was getting ready to return home to Luka.
I took a seat on the grass and found myself surrounded by a small following of kids that did the same. Amber, too, took a seat, but directly on my lap instead. I grunted as the surprisingly heavy child settled and I brought her head upon my scruff, allowing her to play with my paw.
“You only have three fingers and a thumb. That's pretty weird.”
“And you only have hair on the top of your head, that’s pretty weird too.”
“I’ll assume you were giving me a compliment…”
The other of the kids understood me and giggled at the back and forth as Amber raked a nail under my claws. While I was certain they were clean, Amber's scrutinizing stare felt as if I was being judged by my mother again.
“Your nails feel like a dog's. Maybe not as sharp.”
My translator interpreted that word as a “domesticated Terran predator” and I flicked my tail in indignation. I'd tried to shut out those who claimed I had traits akin to Earth fauna, though the accusations kept coming regardless.
From what I'd gathered, they believed my fur resembled that of a “sheep”, my tail and paws resembled a “cat”, and my ears were that of a “bunny”; now, I could add claws of a “dog” to that list. I had to keep reminding myself these humans didn't grow up knowing any other metric than that of the creatures from their home planet.
I knew the Terran Richard would return in the group that was due to arrive - Ma had made a point to inform me of such. The mention of the human's name spoiled my mood each time he was mentioned, and yet the Blackfox women continued to speak of him as though he was the most harmless thing.
I was not over the way he seemed to look down on my brother as an obedient servant, laying hands on him as though he were a dumb animal rather than a person. Luka had been the pillar that held me up since we were barely able to walk and talk, and it burned me up inside to see him crave the validation of predators when I knew he didn’t need it.
Amber, seemingly bored with one paw, grabbed the other as I let my arm remain limp. At first, I felt only the tickle as she played at the knuckles on this one as well, but there was a pause as she turned it over to face the palm outwards.
“Where'd you get this?”
I looked at my own palm and felt my heart skip a beat as Amber's claw pointed directly at the cut in my paw. I'd thought she had noticed it before, but the fact she'd call attention to it now when I was surrounded by the other children made a chill run up my back. I was still uncertain if bloodlust was a learned trait, and so being surrounded by juvenile predators at a moment like this did not sit well with me.
Trying to retract my paw, a lump raised in my throat as the human child’s grip hardened on my wrist. The other children watched with curiosity and neither of my assistants nor Martha were around to call for advice. I was to settle this on my own.
I asked with a shaky tone, “Amber?”
She rolled her head back until the tip of my snout brushed against her forehead. I got to look into the depths of her arboreal eyes, letting me see every red-blooded vein, every muscle twitch, every flash as they glistened in the red sun's light while the predator gave me her full, undivided attention. She even offered me her usual flash of the teeth. “Yeah?”
“Pah… Per… Pwers?”
I wiggled my arm in an attempt to indicate what I was asking to have released.
“Hold on, I'll let go in a sec.”
She understood me this time, but I sighed as she promptly ignored my request. She once again played with my claws, twisting them back and forth gently as she hummed to herself.
“Looks like it was made by your claws,” she concluded while continuing to toy with them. “This is why my momma always had us trim Butterscotch's claws, because she kept scratching me up when we played.”
The name once again tripped up my translator, describing it as a candy made from melted sugar and congealed milk fat. I tried to suppress the bile that built in my throat as I considered that worse than the item's description was the fact that she'd named an animal which had a reputation for scratching her after it.
Please, please don't throw away everything we'd built in this one moment.
“I miss Butterscotch,” she muttered. “But now I have new friends! Alien-friends!”
She rolled her head back again and looked back up at me.
“Like you! We're friends, right Luka?”
Her eyes shone with bright innocence and juvenile glee, making my fears melt away.
“Ie-e… I’ezz, frn'dz,” I confirmed. Apparently, my vocals didn't lend themselves to speaking Amber's tongue any better than hers did mine. Every word I spoke felt as though I needed to clear my throat after.
“Cool!”
With that conclusion, the dark-haired girl snapped back to my arm and pressed her lips to the back of my paw. I went slack as she did so and it felt as though all of my muscles had lost their function at once as I sat motionless and silent. I could see and hear the world around me and yet it didn't register that anything existed.
I felt her face lift from my flesh and Amber proclaimed proudly, “Momma did that every time I got bruised up and told me it helped with healing! So maybe you'll get better too!”
“Ah-hah,” was the only response I could manage, made on impulse as the rest of my brain felt a million light years away.
“Alright, everyone,” a voice called from behind us. “They're here, so clear out so they have somewhere to park!”
There was a commotion as the children all scrambled to their feet, including Amber, and they rushed with zealous squeals back toward the body of the camp. But not me.
My jaw remained slack as I stared at the back of my paw, focusing on the wet spot imprinted in my fur. It was a bite of sorts, described exactly as Tac had told me, and yet not a mark was left on my flesh save for the tingling of nerves as I seized up.
My back hit the grass and I let my tail curl around my leg as I held my paw to the sky. “Wuh…”
Something approached and kicked up the grass as I laid still and glared at my decidedly unharmed paw. My eyes traveled up to find Mercy standing over me with the corners of her mouth turned downwards.
“You good?”
“Why did you bite Tac?”
“Lord help us all,” she mumbled while rolling her eyes. “C'mon, let's get you outta here before you’re turned into ven-paté under some truck.”
“Uh huh.”
The elder teen’s grip helped me to my feet as I regained faculties, though I still felt weak. “It was a legitimate question, though,” I told her.
“It's just a sign of affection, I guess. I never really considered it so much before, y’know? It's not like you really think about why everything is when it's so normal, right?”
Speak for yourself, I wanted to tell her, though I held my tongue.
As I took a seat, the thrumming of engines could be heard coming from over the brow of the hill. Apparating as though it were a giant, segmented insect were the adult humans in their ramshackle vehicles, rattling down the hill with each occupied by at least five or six bodies in each of the dozen autos.
The children and elders alike rushed to greet their family as they parked and disembarked from the chain of gas guzzlers. Parents lifted their children in the air and hugged them while the elders chatted with them. But among the troupe of humans that had arrived, I knew something felt off.
“They’re one vehicle short,” I noted to Mercy.
“Hm?”
“I counted them when they left. They’re one short.”
Her piercing gaze scanned the fleet herself before she nodded. “Mike’s missing.”
Michael was the driver that Richard had departed with and so that helped explain the deadpan Terran’s absence. Luka and Hileen both recounted the same human by name when talking of their experiences with them, with both drawing the conclusion that he had to be the worst driver on Venlil Prime.
“Psst,” came a voice hissing from behind. “Mercy.”
Mercy turned to give attention to Tac as he sulked away from the crowd as usual, though I remained with my back turned to him while watching the humans interact.
The tip of my tail tickled at the grass watching children get smothered in affection by their parents, and they in turn received hugs from their elders as others chattered. I itched at the back of my palm where Amber's mouth had been as Johnny's parents each planted a similar bite on his cheek and forehead. Chihiro carried her brother on her shoulders as she chatted with her own parents with brimming snarls.
“Looks like Mike had a bit too much fun and ran his truck off the road,” Mercy told me as she came back from talking with Tac. “They're on their way.”
“I can do without seeing Crow.”
“Yeah, well, I could do with a place to practice rock climbing, but we can't always get what we want.”
“You humans really are strange for wanting to climb stuff.”
“It's in our nature, no matter how deeply buried.”
She playfully bumped me on the shoulder and I returned with a gentle lashing of my tail against her ankle to which she welcomed with hissing laughter. The teenager wandered off in the direction of her family's tent.
The crowd that had gathered to greet the returning humans was slowly beginning to disperse as the vehicles were unloaded of a variety of equipment. I was relieved to find that there were no signs of blood or death to be seen, assuaging the deep-seated worry that I had of the humans being on the hunt. As little trust as I had for Crow, there'd be no redeeming one so sordid as himself were he to be everything he was as well as a murderer.
I looked forward to seeing Luka again, even if the only thing he had to tell me was stories of his human coworkers. Perhaps now I had stories of my own experiences with humans to tell him and maybe I'd get to see that glimmer in his eye once again that had so long ago been tarnished.
Amber's delighted shrieks were heard over the commotion and I could spot her being held in the air above her father's head as her toothy snarl became somehow wider. Her legs kicked while she wriggled in the hefty human’s embrace and turned attention to her mother as she was lowered into her grasp.
Even here amongst predators, thoughts of home still hounded me. The closest I could recall mom or dad ever coming to that was when they brought me along to one of their outings for dinner where I was allowed to pick the venue. I was still not permitted to talk to other people even then, but I didn't mind at the time.
The gurgle of another gas-powered engine roared over the brow of the hill, prompting a few others and I to turn our attention upwards.
Breaching the horizon came the last truck, though I was curious to note that it appeared to be driving backwards. Tilting my head didn't give me any more of a vantage to figure out why the truck backed up down the hill, nor did it help decipher the mindless chanting that ramped up as the vehicle closed the distance.
“John Wayne's teeth, hey-a
John Wayne's teeth, hey-a
Are they plastic, are they steel-a”
A claw tapping me on the shoulder spooked me, though I had grown to suppress the instinct to jump and make a fuss. “Momma would like to talk before we send you off,” Mercy told me. “She's in our tent.”
I obeyed the summons, almost forgetting how to navigate the maze of rickety shacks and tents to find the Blackfoxes’ residence. It was a simple task, though, once I remembered that the elder sibling had given it a “groovy” paint job.
Approaching the government-issued yurt that had been painted with vivid flowers, I found it odd for it to not have a horde of humans gathered around. They'd typically mill about Martha's tent while she spoke with each of them about their concerns, though what became of their talks was beyond my knowledge.
I ducked inside without notifying Martha, finding her seated at the squat table that was situated in the middle of the tent. The matriarch turned her eyes up to face me and she happily set her insulated cup down.
“There's not really any room for more chairs,” she told me. “But feel free to take a seat anywhere.”
My ears gently brushed against the top of the tent before I sat down just to the right of where she rested. In this claustrophobic environment, I'd have assumed I was being lured into a trap before. At the very least, I still kept my ears on a swivel for signs of trouble, but now confidence outweighed caution.
We sat for a moment without saying anything as Ma adjusted her seat to look at me directly, leaning an elbow against the table as she reclined.
She asked, “Enjoy your stay?”
I scratched the scruff on my neck as I wondered that myself.
“No. Not at first.”
“But now you can say you did?”
“Everything here is a new experience. For me, and possibly every other person who'd have grown up under the Federation.”
“You pulled through, despite being surrounded by predators. That's more than can be said for the lady who stabbed a guy in panic on the first day of the Exchange Program.”
My ear waggled in entertainment to think someone had set the bar so low. What fool would brazenly assault a predator to begin with?
“There were a few times where I thought I'd need to run for the hills,” I explained. “The children you raise are an unadulterated look into what life was like back on Earth, if nothing else.”
Martha chuckled and covered her snarl with a palm as she spoke, “I will choose to believe that's a compliment, given your opinion on us before.”
“I'd say it's a stellar review in the face of almost drowning while under your employment.”
Her face fell a bit and she rubbed the back of her neck while averting her eyes. “Yeah…”
“That is to say!” I blurted out hastily. “Th-that everything else has made it worth my time.”
My desperation to clarify myself felt embarrassing and my ears turned warm as they went flush. Martha sat still for a moment before she spoke again.
“When Richard hired you, he told me you wanted to up your price. 1200 credits?”
“It's a big ask in hindsight, I know. I didn't realize how tight your budget was at the time and I'm grateful that you've offered me—”
She waved a hand with a shushing hiss.
“We don't need to worry so much about that now. Where I was going with that was, that you agreed to our terms yourself, and accepted with only a reasonable upcharge. No other local would've been so quick to take on this job for even quadruple the price!”
“Brashness is a quality of mine I'm becoming more familiar with,” I joked.
“Must be something in the water. But payment is why I summoned you here, actually. We have only a few members who were on board with having an ‘alien’ presiding over the children, and fewer still who contributed any funds.”
“So what you're offering is out of the pocket of only a couple of contributors. I see.”
“I hope it doesn't lessen your opinion of us to tell you that.”
I scratched my snout and exhaled, shaking free the impulse to inquire any further with a flick of my ear.
“So I suppose all there is left to do is arrange payment, and I'll be on my way?”
“It would seem so.”
Heavy footsteps shuffled across the grass outside though conversation from the crowd remained distant. They stopped right outside of the entrance and the canvas foyer rattled as knuckles rapped against the cloth.
“Martha, it's me,” growled a familiar voice. “Everyone decent?”
“You’re clear, come on in.”
The flap shot open and my paw balled into a fist as Richard froze upon spotting me. The predator’s blank gaze didn’t hide their confusion when I could clearly spot their eyes flicking between Martha and I.
“Sorry, am I interrupting something?” Crow asked.
“We were just finishing up,” I responded, making no effort to hide my contempt for the interloper's presence.
Martha waved a hand to one of the chairs. “Have a seat, and I'll be right with you.”
Richard seemed almost deflated as he sulked over to the table. I resisted the opportunity to trip him with my tail in front of Martha to humiliate him, instead glowering at him as he afforded me a quick glance. I turned my attention back to the leader figure that was present while he took a seat.
“So 1100 credits was the agreed upon price, yes?”
“It was, though if there's anything else you desire outside the monetary value, you need only ask. We can't offer much, but I'm sure I have the ear of someone who can.”
“Hopefully you don't mean that literally,” I jested, putting on a facade of worry.
I could spot Crow watching Martha chuckle at my quip. His miserable expression was almost unreadable, save for the furrowing of the pelts on his brow.
Let him watch me charm his kind as easily as he thinks he can mine.
I raised my tail behind my head while I leaned against the table and curled the end loosely to convey appreciation. It was a sign that was rarely used outside of close bonding - that is to say, it'd been a while since I had been able to use it.
Recognition didn't light up in Martha's expression but I was content with projecting affection in any way I could. Understanding wasn't as important as the gesture itself.
“So might I at least know the names of those who did contribute? I'd like to express my thanks to them.”
Richard was the one who responded, “I wouldn't ask questions I wouldn't want the answers—”
“What he means,” Martha interjected. “Is that most contributors wouldn't like being mentioned by name. Aliens are still a polarizing subject and can crop up arguments that others may be obligated to avoid.”
My ears and tail sagged a bit. “Did my presence bring up that much of a problem?”
“More like it's one of a million other things these people can't agree about. But of those who I think would enjoy a bit of gratitude, you may already know some of them.”
“Oh? Tell me!”
I made eye contact with Crow who remained quiet as he cradled his chin in his palm against the table. His bored demeanor irked me in ways I couldn't describe.
“The Ito family, of whom you're already familiar with their daughter Chihiro, were the first to pledge. They're good folk and will happily accept your thanks. Next was myself, though I didn't give much. One of our cooks, Raksh, also contributed a bit, though that may have been more out of courtesy than anything else. And lastly…”
She lazily extended a claw toward Richard.
“... is Mister Crow here, your biggest donor who paid damn near half of your wage!”
Slowly, I felt myself deflate as enthusiasm made way for disappointment. I gritted my teeth to keep any brash words from escaping my lips.
“Closer to a third, actually,” he corrected her. “And with me already having the contact details of your brother, that means I can help set up the rest of the transaction.”
Even when I think I'm winning, he finds a way to one-up me.
“Would you mind giving us a moment, Vili? I think Mister Crow came here to say something and I’d hate to keep you from saying your goodbyes.”
Obliging her request, Martha and Richard waited patiently as I shuffled out of the tent. I hadn't realized how tightly my paw was clenched before reaching the outside where I felt my joints creak with relief as the fist unballed.
In the short time I'd been away, I secretly began to crave interaction from any of the humans I'd become acquainted with. My mind drifted to the slop that Big Joe always served, and how he always laughed every time I tried to inquire as to his full name. It wasn't quite dinner time, though, and so I then considered if any of the kids were still roaming about for me to tell stories to.
Whispers came from the tent before I could set a destination and my ears immediately perked up. I'd found that the humans’ ears were not nearly as effective as mine and so I found it easy to go unnoticed around them. I assumed they thought I was out of earshot by now.
I crouched on one knee and raised an ear to listen, though it was garbled hisses from this far. Curiosity got the better of me and I shuffled on my knees toward the tent, hiding in the shadow cast by an adjacent tent to mask my presence.
“... playing games with the lives of children,” came the low growl of Crow.
“Miss Ito and my own daughter are both very capable of defending themselves and the children from a venlil, Richard. You need to have faith that things can turn out alright.”
“Faith! She wanted to—”
There was a pause before I heard heavy stomping through the canvas. The mesh flaps that acted as windows were quickly torn shut one by one. I feared Crow would spot me, but he seemed too focused on hiding whatever it was he was talking about.
“She told me that she would've used my brains to add character development to a fucking snowglobe. Faith wouldn't have saved me if she carried through.”
“The fact that she informed you of her plot should be some small comfort that there's a piece of her that trusts you.”
“We don't know how many pieces there are! Should we wait for her to try to gore me on the street a second time? Perhaps you’ll get some insight if she sticks a claw through my eye?”
“I'd never let it come to that. I do wonder why it is that you're so worried about her. Did you not tell me you knew someone in her position?”
I heard a huff leave Richard before he spoke, “That was while she was getting help from professionals! What, do you hope to get her the therapy she needs from some squalid nowhere shantytown when we're eating out of the aliens’ trough ourselves?”
“It's a preferable alternative to leaving her at the mercy of the Federation's methods of ‘healing’. At least this way, she's getting help that matters.”
By this point, their voices had lowered into hissing whispers that even I strained to hear.
“I expect that you'll be more open with the others about your motives in the future, Martha. Maybe I have no rock to stand on when I say this, but your actions could very well draw the UN's eye, and the last thing I want is to have the Blues down here.”
“Is it related to your incarceration? Perhaps you were on parole before the bombing and fear the UN will be after you?”
I listened to rustling coming from my left and the conversation grew quiet. I turned to see Tac trotting along, surprisingly unaccompanied by Mercy as he shoveled a bowl of stew into his maw. He stopped mid-bite to look at me hunched over next to the Blackfoxes’ tent and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
Shove off, I signaled to him. Come back later.
Weird, he replied before trotting off without fuss, thankfully.
There was something of a release from within the tent as I heard Crow and Blackfox alike exhale.
“I assure you, Richard,” Martha started again. “Whatever fears you have, you're protected by venlil laws of asylum as well as having the backing of myself-”
“We can do therapy later,” Crow butted in. “I'll take Vili home. I hope you're prepared to explain to your son that this mission we've embarked on wasn't the quest for glory he thought it'd be.”
“I've tried my best to tamp his expectations down, but I was hoping that Kanek would be open to publishing our actions. The bus that is taking the ones you rescued into town should be arriving shortly, and Kanek will be here soon after she's shushed them.”
I scampered off when I heard Crow trudge out of the tent, using my paws to crawl as quietly as I could manage out of sight. Blowing dirt off of the scab on my punctured paw, I walked off to find people I wanted to say goodbye to.

Most of the kids were already spending time with their families, but the few who still milled about and played were happy to give one last goodbye. Riley broke down in tears while we embraced and I now had a stain on the fur of my belly where her tears had soaked through.
I tried shifting by a group of the adults that were celebrating their return around a campfire. The looks I got as I did so were unnerving now that I understood the discourse that my presence had caused.
Approaching Crow, I pretended I didn’t know why he was slinking between groups and milling wanderers with a leering eye. He turned about to the sounds of my paws shuffling across the grass and threw his head backwards in a lazy greeting similar to how Mercy would.
“Are you ready to head back home?”
“I'm sure Luka has held the place down on his own… but yes.”
“Good, I'll bring the truck around for you and we'll be on our way.”
“Richa-a-a-a-ard!”
My ears perked up and I snapped my head about to meet the approaching Amber with her arms outstretched. Her voice bounced with each step as she rushed toward the towering Terran. Crow let out a grunt as she forced her arms around his waist and jumped about with glee.
“Mama said you were a party pooper! You told me you'd stay cool!”
“Aw, I'm sure you can forgive me for keeping to myself, Amber. Did you enjoy your time alone?”
Amber turned the corners of her mouth down in a pouty expression. “No, I didn't have anyone to help me with my homework!”
Richard patted the young girl on the back and began trying to pry her arms from him.
“I'm sure you managed just fine, you're smarter than the average second grader. And how did Vili treat you?”
I folded my ears back when Crow's eyes turned back to me.
“Vili? That's Luka!”
Amber finally unlatched herself from Crow and rushed over to my side, jabbing a claw toward me.
“See? The ear is the same color! And she knows when I say her name! Mercy told me venlil don't have boobies like human girls do but she's a girl! You were wrong!”
A couple of the voices closest to us erupted in the familiar, grating laughter that accompanied humans everywhere. I tilted my head while trying to grasp what it was Amber said that had earned such a response. Human and venlil physiology was different for sure, but I'd never considered it so entertaining.
Perhaps it's some in-joke that I'm not knowledgeable on, I thought, humans seem to like those.
Crow lowered his eyes to the ground and pursed his lips before squatting down and beckoning Amber toward him. She obeyed and the taller Terran cupped a hand over her ear, whispering quietly.
Amber's eyes lit up as Crow continued and her mouth hung agape. “Lu- ah, er…you're a twin?!”
In a rush, Amber grasped the fur around my ribs and began shaking me back and forth. “You were hiding it from me-e-e!”
Given this small child was still two-thirds my weight, I wobbled like a sapling in the wind as I tried to grab for the scolding child's wrists.
“Please. Stop. Gonna hurl.”
The little girl groaned and buried her face in my stomach. “You must think I'm pretty stupid too, huh?”
Mustering as much of my understanding of English, I belched out, “No.”
Amber buried her face deeper into my pelt while exhaling.
“l'ou… no donb.”
She raised her head to look me head-on, something which I couldn't return in full for the placement of my eyes.
“I'ou's… Zm’rd. Kappy. Ngai'z.”
“You stink at English,” Amber giggled while shooting me one last face-splitting snarl. I mashed her cheeks between my paws and she relented her grasp.
“I neeb go, fr'nd! O’gee?”
“Okay! I promise I'll try to know how to say ‘hi’ next time! And more.”
Richard butted in, “I'm sure she'll hold you to that promise, but I think it's time we got going.”
As soon as he had suggested as much, I caught sight of a human who was only covered in pelts from the waist down stagger into view. The glassy eyed stare and uncoordinated movement were all too familiar to me even without knowing where they were before.
They growled, “Fucks the alien still doing here?”
“Just about to get going, Paul,” Richard shot back. “Don't concern yourself with her.”
“It has been here long enough! Move along, little lambchop!”
“Man, lay off,” another human intervened. “She's as welcome here as any other guest.”
“Nah, Paul has a point. How do we know she ain't some Baby Burner spy or some shit? Get the xeno outta here!”
The humans quickly began bickering amongst themselves and I felt the firm grasp of Crow on my shoulder tug me away from the commotion. Amber trailed behind, watching the debates unfold behind us while we made our way along.
Crow opened the door in a raggedy truck in even worse condition than the others, standing aside for me to enter. While I didn't want to test the predator's patience in light of the tension behind us, I whirled about to give Amber one last goodbye hug. Her grasp around my neck was like iron though the wet streams on her face were all I needed to know that I should let her have this.
“You're gonna come back, right? You and your brother are gonna come and say hi?”
I saw no point in trying to cobble together an articulate sentence in her own language that'd fall flat as soon as I spoke. I considered my words carefully while I clasped her hands in my paws.
“I want to, but I have class that I need to catch up with, as well as I'm in need of a stable job once I'm through with this one. I don't know when I'll be back, but I want you to know that you've made this the best two weeks I've had in a long time, Amber. I don't know how much of my language you understand, but your enthusiasm has surpassed all barriers.”
She stared back up at me with her lips locked in an “oh” pose before turning to Richard who still watched with a lazy gaze.
“She said ‘maybe’.”
That seemed to suffice for Amber as she broke free and ran off squealing with her arms in the air as she always did when she was excited. I'd gotten used to the ear-splitting shrieks of the kids, and my ears didn't even fold back on reflex anymore.
“That's not what I said,” I grumbled to Crow.
He clicked his tongue as he held the door open for me. “Less is more. She's a kid, so she may not fully grasp your struggles anyway.”
With a huff, I crawled into the truck and kicked my feet up onto the dashboard while Crow ducked in behind the wheel. He twisted the key and the vehicle gurgled to life.
Strangely enough, I found that instead of the truck lurching forward, Crow put the vehicle into reverse, using the mirror to navigate up the hill. The truck seemed to make sure we felt every rock and bump that it struck, and I eventually decided to straighten out my posture so that I didn't get folded in half by a particularly bad bump.
Richard seemed unfazed by the sickness-inducing commotion, guiding the truck up the hill with a steady gaze. Stopping at the top, he whipped out his holopad and tapped away while quietly mumbling to himself.
“... hundred-fifty year-old country shit, sure why not.”
He tapped once more and the truck's audio system whirred with the melodic twang of a stringed instrument accompanied by simple percussion. A human's strange croon came over the speaker in a curious tune.
“You held me up, held me down
Made me crazy, then turned me around…”
Richard twisted the knob to bring the volume down to a more agreeable level and I caught a glimpse down at the camp. A group of humans were now gathered where I'd been talking with Amber just moments before.
Now, I could spot the human Paul bumping chests with a human much larger than he, noses almost touching in a clear display of aggression as they howled at each other. Humans pointed claws at one another and argued while yet more flocked to the scene of the commotion. Whether their motives were to disperse or exacerbate was yet to be seen.
“You were my shelter and my storm
Made me cold, then you made me warm…”
Crow finally put the truck in gear and we rolled backwards yet again, leaving the only sight before me the peaks of the Belimal retreating beneath the grassy brow.
As I let the truck shuttle me back to my brother, I yearned for the comfort of my own bed and blankets, for the soft hum of my own air conditioning unit, and for the obnoxious snoring and sleep-talking of my own flesh and blood.
From here, one might even be able to see the highest of the foothills from which my roots would lay betwixt, a reminder that the pangs of home weren't just knots in my stomach. Luka and I had a long way to go to get away from home, and even longer to be rid of it.
“One step forward and two steps back, nobody gets too far like that
One step forward and two steps back, this kind of dance can never last.”
[ First / Previous ]

So my husband has a stubborn medical bill that won't come off his credit. Here is the background (a bit lengthy sorry).
In 2017 by husband got into a major car accident. He was severely injured with a broken foot, arm, neck, and head injury. They took a scan of his head and found a brain tumor on his frontal lobe which turned out to be stage 3 brain cancer. As you can imagine he had several months of surgeries, radiation, recover, and just generally being out of it. All his medical bills were covered by his auto insurance, his medical, then written off any remainder to disability / charity as he is now considered permanently disabled (cognitively) and cannot work.
Well 2 years ago we found out he still has a medical bill on his credit for the ambulance ride from this accident. They claim they were never given the right auto / medical insurance. I work in this field and know they should have gotten this from the hospital. Regardless they have already sold it to a collections agency who is not willing to budge.
We have explained the circumstances; they don't care. We explained he's disabled, doesn't work, and they cannot legally garnish his disability wages so they wont get ANY money from him; they don't care. The credit file shows the date opened as 2019 (presumably when they sold it) so its not going to drop off for a while. We've disputed it numerous ways and its just not getting dropped.
Any thoughts?