Exhale - but not without incident

Hooray! The check came! After returning from errands, about 3:00 this afternoon, I stopped at the mailbox to get my mail. And it's there, a nice fat envelope from Allstate (several pages of claim items). Having groceries to unload, etc, I waited till I got the things put away, having a distinct feeling I wanted to be sitting down when I opened it. And I was right. Remember the lien that they kept saying was showing up on my policy, the one I called Saturday to have deleted -- well, check was made out to me -- and the S&L company!! WHAT! I have my insurance lady's number on my cell phone, and called her immediately!
"I have good news and bad news. The good news is I got my check. The bad news is the lienholder's name is there, too!"
She was flabbergasted and couldn't quite get a handle on what I was telling her.
"Remember? I called the 800 number to Allstate Saturday and they told me they deleted it. Remember? I sent you the clear title and the release of lien."
"Well, I don't understand. After we went through all that -- how did... can you send it to me? Does it look like my handwriting?"
So, a fast scan and email and a quick return call from her, "That is NOT my handwriting! I've got to see what's going on. I'll call you back." In the meantime I called back the 800 number.
Only a few minutes passed and she did call back while I was still on the phone with their other place and she said she would make a specific trip to Beaumont and bring another check and get this one. She's staying in Liberty - about 40 miles away. I said, "I'll meet you!"
"Great! If you can at least meet me in China." (town about 10 miles on my end)
So, I take off headed west out Hwy 90 and she takes off headed east on Hwy 90. I reach China -- call, her. Voice mail. "I'm past China. Headed to Nome."
I reach Nome - call her, "I'm in Nome. Still headed your way."
Then she calls back, had been detained, and was about 5 miles from Devers. By that time I was 6 miles on the other side of Devers. We'll meet in Devers. I reached Devers city limits and soon saw an Exxon on the right and called her again, "I'm pulling into the Exxon station on my right."
She said, "I see it! I see you!"
Wow! What a day! I teased her and told her I forgot the check at home! So, we sat there in the Exxon parking lot and she writes the check right there and gives it to me to be sure she did it right. Looks good. I said, "I bet a man wrote that in thinking how efficient he was being!"
She laughed and said her claims supervisor told her, "Well, maybe I did do that."
"Would that be a man or a woman?"
"A man."
"Told you!"
She reminded me that if any of the repairs exceed our calculations, to get two bids and then resubmit for supplements. We agreed celebration was in order, but neither of us had time for such indulgences, and bid farewell. Allstate, you did all right by me. I have no complaints at all. I hope she'll get a nice commission on my claim.