Help Me Hank: Utility Bill

Ready for the Help Me Hank history quiz? Question one: what year did Jimmy Hoffa go missing?

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"O.K. Al Vaudreuil, take a guess."

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"1975"

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"Correct. Try this. When did Jaws open at the movies?"

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"1975."

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"Right again! Here’s a toughie, when did the first woman reach the summit of Mt. Everest?"

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"27 years ago,1975."

Now you might be wondering, why is Al so 75 savvy? Ask him, when was the last time he had an account with the gas company.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"1975."

But here's where Al and his wife were stumped.This year they moved into a new houseand switched over all the utilities to Al’s name: electric, water, satellite TV.

But the Gas Company said no way!

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"They told me I had an upaid balance."

This balance was from 1998 for a house in Worcester and the bill was a biggie.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"It was for $705."

Now Al told them he'd never lived or owned property in Worcester, and hadn't used any gas since well you know.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"1975."

And back then, he'd paid his bill in full.

Al persisted.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"Is there somebody above you I can talk to? No, I’m it."

Now turns out someone with the same last name and first intital as Al did live at the Worcester address and somehow the bill did have al's social security number.

But still, t wasn’t Al’s bill.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"They said, is this your Social Security number? I said yeah. And they says well, it’s your bill."

They did allow Al to put the gas in his wife’s name. So the water stayed hot and the stove turned onbut Al was steamed too.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"It was still a black mark on my credit."

He called a lawyer who said going to court would cost more than the 700 bucks in question

and then one night in the living room…

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"We were watching TV and Help Me Hank was on and I said, geez, I wonder..."

Wonder no more! We called the gas company to check out the bogus bill..

They checked their accounts and local property records and eventually agreed some glitch had transposed this A. Vaudreuil's social to a different A. Vaudreuil's account.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"Somebody made a mistake."

Exactly, and soon after, this arrived the gas bill now in Al's name and a mysterious balance due wiped clean off the books.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"I thought it was pretty quick!"

And Al, bills now in order gave us a very nice pat on the back.

Al Vaudreuil, Homeowner
"All you gotta do is get the computer or make the call to Hank, she'll take care of ya."

Thanks Al! We do our best.