I mentioned before that I work nights part-time. I work Customs for UPS Heavy Freight at UPS Worldport here in Louisville. As an employee, I enjoy a number of amenities including great benefits, substantial discounts from retailers and an education stipend. Additionally, my employer subsidizes two late night municipal bus runs to and from Worldport, so the 12-mile commute is free (except on those rare Fridays when the bus runs late and I’m forced to drive). These buses run through uptown Louisville, near the campuses of the U of L and Jefferson Community College and through the neighborhoods of the West End and Portland where I live.
It was on the ’99′ bus that I was inspired with the idea for ‘The Practical Internet’, a course designed for the ‘underserved’: Net neophytes, old-schoolers and the ‘poor’, those who stand to gain the most from it. It all started when I overheard Miss Linda lamenting to Dolores about how she dreaded ‘getting paid tonight and spending it all tomorrow on bills’. I interrupted. “Um-huh, I know, paid today, gone tomorrow.” “Wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t have to stay up, go to the bank to deposit my check, then take the bus to pay my water bill and light bill, before they cut ‘em off. I’ll probably won’t get home before 2 o’clock.” I thought for a few seconds then replied, “You got cable?” “Yeah.” “You got Internet?” “Yes, but that’s for my grandson and nephew to play their games with. I know nothing about the Internet.” “Ok, you know, I got to pay bills tomorrow too. But I’m going to roll outta bed ’bout 11, make a cup of coffee then pay bills online, in my pajamas.” Miss Linda just looked at me and didn’t say a word. But the next night on the bus, she asked me how I made this happen.
“It’s easy, if you have a few things in place. You already got cable and a computer. I assume you already got a checking account since you deposit your UPS check.” “Yes.” “Then the hard part is done. I recommend setting up direct deposit and getting a debit card. Let me write down these steps and in no time you can be paying your bills from home and no more running around all day spending money to pay money.”
I gave her my to-do list. She thanked me in that way people do when they’re being polite and I was certain that was the last I would hear about it. Imagine my prideful surprise when, about a month later, she announced she’d been paying her bills online.
…to be continued.
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