98. Friends With the Debt Collector

A surprisingly pleasant connection with a debt collector is this listener’s Okay thing.

Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.

  INTRO MUSIC

I’m Nora McInerny and it’s going to be okay. 

VOICEMAIL BEEP

Okay Listener:  Hey Nora, it’s me, your girl, Carly. Um, I just wanted to let you know that today’s it’s going to be okay, was brought to you by a debt collector. So I just got a phone call this morning that I knew it was a debt collector from a school that I wasn’t happy about because I wish I was in school. So I.

Me and this woman start talking. I prepare to pay the bill and you know I’m being a little sassy because I’m hurt that this all is occurring, even though I’m also just going to pay the bill because it’s my due. So I am, you know, hitting them with the zingers, making it fun, making it cute, making it funny to be on the phone with this beautiful woman who was a wonderful debt collector.

And she did such a good job. And honestly, she and I hit it off and we are basically friends. She told me her name. I spelled it correctly. It was. A dream. She gave me her extension by the end of it, and we’re laughing talking about divorce and how we’re gonna be okay. And I know her life’s hard because her job is hard and how I used to manage a hard coffee shop life.

Deescalation was like my top skill and we were just like, wow. It’s okay. We’re gonna be okay. We got this. Love you girl. Here’s my money. It’s gonna be okay. Not everything but something. We’ll definitely be okay. So thanks Nora. Love you. Bye.

I love this. I love this one. No surprise. I love this one because you know what? Life is hard. It’s hard for everyone. Everyone’s job is hard. And I do believe that 99.9% of the time, the people who have to call us about something, we don’t wanna get a call about, also don’t wanna be calling us about it.

And if you are the debt collector who called me about my dead husband’s sperm storage going into collections, wherever you are, I am so sorry for all of the crying and whatever I said to you in the moment, I didn’t mean it. That wasn’t your fault. It was nobody’s, honestly, it was probably my fault. I don’t.

Open my mail. That’s on me. If you are a debt collector, I hope you make a friend like Carly today, and if you get a call about your debt today, honestly, I hope you don’t get that call today, but if you do, I hope you get this lady and you make a new friend. I just love this. 

OUTRO MUSIC 

CREDITS