Another day, another gas bill.

You know, I got divorced almost five years ago, and have moved twice, but to this day my ex-wife’s name is still on the damn gas bill. At one stage they claimed they couldn’t change the name, they could only open a brand new account, which would cost $20. At the time I said don’t bother.

I wonder if they’d do that if she’d died. Maybe I should have told them that. Told them it was causing me trauma every time a gas bill arrived.

Over the years, the continuing joint names on the bill bugged me more and more. I last rang up about it when I moved. They said she would need to ring them up and get it done, which she then did.

So my gas bill arrived yesterday, and her name’s still on it. So I rang again.

“Hi, I want to get my ex-wife’s name removed from the bill.”

“Is she there with you?” Pah, what a stupid question. We get on okay, but we don’t hang out with each other, strangely enough.

“No.”

“Well she needs to give us a ring…”

“She did that.”

“Oh. I’ll check the account notes.”

…

“You’re right, she did. I see, the name has been removed from the account, but not from the mailing address.”

How stupid is that?!? Why on earth would I want the name on one but not the other, especially in these circumstances?

And I can understand having to jump hoops to add someone to an account, but why to remove them? It’s not like anybody would mind being absolved of paying gas bills.