Just when I feel I have figured out how to use some apparatus, it changes. It seems like weekly, in a state of frustration, I want to smash either my laptop, iPad, phone or remote control. When I calm down, I call my go-to computer guy for help.

It has gotten to the point that I once consulted with my six-year-old grandchild to help me out of a cyberworld situation and suffered the indignity of her eyes rolling as she explained to me how easy all of this was. But I realize that smart phones and televisions are only as smart as the people using them and all technology is only as good as the people that utilize it. And all those “techie” people are not always as smart as the equipment.

About four years ago, I used a Sears card for a telephone purchase. When the credit card statement arrived, I threw it on the pile of monthly mail. Weeks later, when sorting through the mail, I realized the bill was due within the next three days. As it was the Christmas season, I suspected payment by mail would not arrive at its destination by the due date.

I hustled down to the Midtown Plaza Sears store and tried to pay the bill at a cash register, as I had done in the past. Sorry, said the sales assistant, we no longer accept payment at the sales counter.

I toddled upstairs to the catalogue/customer service office, which was no longer there. At this point a sales assistant advised that it had been moved downstairs. I located the service desk on the main floor and said I’d like to pay my account. Sorry, said the customer service representative, we no longer accept bill payments at the store, but a Scotiabank would accept payment. Apparently, my rarely-used Sears card had been converted to a Scotiabank Mastercard.

I braved the elements and trudged off to the nearest Scotiabank. There was a 15-minute lineup at the bank, but eventually I stood face-to-face with a young man and stated I would like to pay my bill.

I handed him the statement and my cheque, but he refused to accept it because the cheque was not written on a Scotiabank account. I asked him if I mailed this cheque in the envelope provided with the statement, would they return the cheque because it was not drawn on a Scotiabank account and he answered yes. (It was the season of goodwill, so I restrained myself from informing him of my assessment of his smugness.)

Fine, said I. I will pay the bill using my ATM card. Nope, he couldn’t accept my ATM card payment because it wasn’t a Scotiabank ATM card. Why then, I asked, if I went to the ATM machine at the front doors of this bank, would it accept my non-Scotiabank ATM card and, after charging me a fee, spit out cash?

In this instance, a case could be made for technology being smarter than people.

I left the bank, put a stamp on the envelope and dropped the payment in the mail. When I returned home, I called the 866-phone number on the statement, explained what happened and advised them I would not pay the 19.9900 per cent interest for late payment if it didn’t arrive by the due date.

Since that time, every month I have received a statement which includes interest on the interest charged over the years. I have finally reached double digit status because last month the interest charged was 10 cents and I am finally up to a balance owing of $5.98. These statements are computer-generated and I’m guessing the computer hadn’t been programmed to flag accounts where the cost of sending the statement is substantially more than what was initially charged. I remind myself that technology is only as smart as the people that utilize it. Then again, maybe this supports the adage “take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.”

Shortly after getting into this “me vs. the computer” battle, I cut up the credit card and a year or so later Sears went out of business, leaving longterm employees and customers who had paid for extended warranties hung out to dry.

I don’t feel any financial obligation to Sears or its proxy, but out of principle, how can they charge interest, and interest on interest, on an account for which their agent refused to accept payment? I know this is being a bit childish, but if I ever decide to pay this account, I will overpay it by 50 cents and let the credit card company sent me statements for years showing the money credited on account. Hmm. I wonder if they will pay me interest on the money held on the account.

-Elaine Hnatyshyn