Rachel's Itchy Fingers

I had some important business to take care of on the computer (or as Rachel still calls it, the pereeter) before the end of the year. I wanted to transfer $2000 from an account in Atlanta to an account at Schwab for later transfer into an account set aside for Rachel's college fund.

As usual, Rachel's toddler sonar detected that daddy was on the computer and she couldn't escape the gravitational pull. So she sat on my lap while I tried to reach around her and tap the correct keys.

My computer is a dialup and exceptionally slow. For some reason, it's even more slow when I'm on the Schwab website. The Schwab screen is slow to appear after I hit "transfer funds." Then after I identify where the money is going, I have to wait for it to refresh again. Then I indicate where the money is coming from. Again, I have to wait for a refresh. Then I say it's a one-time transfer. After the next interlude, I can finally say how much I plan to transfer and hit submit. I then wait for confirmation.

So there I sit the other day. I've finally reached the point where I can submit the $2000 transfer. Just as I hit "submit" Rachel hits two keys and the screen goes back to the previous step.

WIth no confirmation, I go through the process again. By now, I'm a little anxious and steam is coming from my ears. With Rachel now banished from the computer room, I put the $2000 in her college fund and log off.

Just to make sure, I call Charles Schwab's Customer Service Department. It is there my fears are realized. Thanks to Rachel, $4000 is now transferred for Rachel's college fund. And I can't get back the $2000 that shouldn't be there until the following Wednesday, five or six days away. I put in that order.

Fast forward to Wednesday. My broker sees that I have now submitted a new order to transfer $2000 from the Schwab account to the other Schwab account that is for Rachel's college fund. As luck would have it, the $4000 I transferred the previous week still hasn't cleared.

My broker figures I let things get away from my attention during the holidays, so she transfers another $2000 to cover my deposit to Rachel's college fund. Later in the day, the $4000 clears.
So now, because Rachel couldn't help touching two keys, $6000 has now been moved into an account when $2000 is all I wanted moved in the first place!

Now it's the next day, Thursday. It's a big day. My cast comes off my left leg for good, replaced by a walking boot. I can finally take a shower again, much to my delight and I'm sure, the delight of others around me. The doctor's office informs me I owe 22o-something dollars for the sum total of my visits insurance didn't cover. I know the money is in my Schwab account, so I hand over my credit cards and it comes back insufficient funds. I put it on another card and call my broker when I get home.

The Schwab account shows $4000 in it. For a while, we're baffled. Then my broker realizes that even though I've waited since late last week for the money to transfer from Atlanta, I have to wait three more days until I can write checks on it.

Rachel had better REALLY enjoy college!