Not Nominated

I’m under a bit of pressure right now; I have until 9/12/11 to respond to the National Geographic Society and I’m not sure what to do.

When I retrieved the envelope from our roadside mailbox my heart quickened. Maybe the Society is recruiting for a great exploration? Having just finished The River of Doubt, an account of Teddy Roosevelt’s expedition down an Amazonian river of the same name (it was renamed for TR during the expedition), I felt myself sufficiently steeled for whatever adventurous summons might lie within the number 10 envelope. Of course, fully realizing that what I was about to open was unlikely to be a recruiting solicitation for a first-class adventure, I settled for the next best thing, in the spirit of George Bailey of It’s A Wonderful Life, I anticipated a nomination to membership in the National Geographic Society.

In the house I went, putting the mail on top of the microwave in the kitchen, sorting through the pile, taking the National Geo envelope in hand, opening it…only to read the words, “Preferred Customer Rate Summary”.

“Oh great”, I said to Vickie, “I’m not even nominated for membership in the National Geographic Society; they’re just giving me a preferred-customer rate.”

Where was George Bailey? Jimmy Stewart? Bedford Falls? How can a Preferred Customer Rate compare to being nominated for membership in the Society?

Having subscribed to National Geo years ago I was in the mood to do so again, but my mood was driven by the idea of a nomination to membership – oh the indignity of being considered a Preferred Customer, as if I were a simple led-by-the-nose consumer who valued a Preferred Customer Rate over a nomination to membership.

Now granted my Preferred Customer Rate includes a full year’s membership in the National Geographic Society, but that still falls short of my expectation for nomination to membership.

Well, I have until 9/12/11 to “reply”.

Wait! I see that if I am to reply that it is to be to Preferred Customer Services; not even Member Services – George Bailey, where are you? I think the marketing department (which should be the membership recruitment department) of National Geo needs you!