Last fall, Maria brought some geraniums into the farmhouse and potted them, she thought we might need them in February or March. She was wise, as she often is.

Yesterday I got a friendly call from Michelle at my credit card company with the good news that I had been selected – because of my good credit rating – for a special program in which my credit rating can be monitored continously and I can be updated as often as I’d like (every minute if I wished) on how my credit rating was going and every time it changes. This service was only $25 a month, or if I preferred, “$125 a year. Gee, thanks, I asked Michelle.

Could I ask a couple of questions?

Of course, said Michelle.

Why on earth would anyone want to pay for this?

Well, this way you can be notified instantly if your credit rate goes up or down, and react right away. It’s important to keep a good credit rating in this economy.

But you said I already had a good credit rating, or I wouldn’t be eligible for the program.

Yes, but in this economy, you never know. Things change. You could be laid off or lose income. Or even a pension.

Gee, thanks, I said.

You know, Michelle, I’ve never had trouble getting companies to take my money. Toyota just did it happy. My bank refinanced my farm a couple of years ago. Amazon has never given me any trouble or B&H Photo. And once or twice a week I get 0 % per cent financing offers from you and other credit card companies because my credit is so good.

Michelle and I talked about it a bit, and we were very cordial with each other, and I told her the idea of monitoring my credit all day or more than that was truly horrifying. Worse than calling customer service at Verizon, and that is pretty horrible.

We parted friends, I think.

Later in the day, I went to get my classes adjusted and the optician came out to say hi and she said you know when you next have your eyes checked, we can also screen them and tell you if you have cancer.

I am rarely speechless, but was quiet for a bit. But what if I don’t want to know if I have cancer when I come by next time? What if I just want to have my glasses checked? Oh, she said. Most people say yes. I wondered if she wanted to Friend Michelle, maybe on Facebook.