The first snag

I was on my way to Winston-Salem for a meeting when I got a call on my cell phone from the agent. We wrote the cashier's check to HUD, and apparently it needed to be made out to the agent or the escrow lawyer.

I need to find a way to meet the agent, exchange the check and get it back to HUD by the deadline, and I'm heading in the opposite direction of all these things. I tell them I'll leave the meeting early and meet them in Statesville to exchange the check.

As I head back to Statesville I call the agent. He says I just have to cancel the old check and have them print a new one, without him there (which means without the original check). I assumed he knew more about it than I did, but just to be sure I called my bank and asked them about cancellation fees and procedures. My receipt was neatly filed in a folder ... in Hickory. I was 30 minutes east of Statesville, and it was closing in on 4 p.m. My bank said I would need to go to the branch where the check was originally printed. Could I make it home and back to Statesville before 5 p.m.? It would be close, but I was going to try. Our home may be on the line.

I did make it to the bank. With receipt in hand at 4:50 p.m., I walked to a cashier and asked for a new check. She looked at me like I was stupid. Clearly, I need the original check. The receipt is nice, but without the original it will take 90 days to cancel the check. 90 days? I have less than an hour.

The bank saw my distress and tried to come up with a solution. Maybe the agent could go to a branch in Charlotte and they could call them to get a new check. I call the agent, tears swelling in my eyes.

Very calmly, the agent tells me it's OK, he'll just meet me in Statesville in the morning with the check.

Wait a minute. It doesn't have to be in by the deadline? Distress turned to anger. Anger turned to tears.

I thanked the bank for their help and walked out at 5:05 p.m.

Why didn't the agent tell me the correct payee when I made out the first check? Why didn't they tell me I didn't need to have the new check by today? All these questions left me angry and scared. Is this agent looking out for me? Aren't they supposed to the be experts here?

I met the agent at the bank the next morning and told him all my frustrations. He apologized, explained that HUD recently changed a lot of its paperwork and requirements, then went with me to the cashier for the correct check.

Although not completely appeased, I did believe him. But I don't think I'll be as trusting as I was before.