Back from the annoying but quick errand. Am now on hold with paypal. I went to a gas station and filled up the car (2.65 for gas - pretty good and a lot better than the 4.70 I was paying for the entire rehearsal period of the Brain in Anaheim). I used my debit card - normally, when you go inside and do that you say something like fifty on number eight. They charge the card fifty and that's that. If you use less gas than fifty they give you the cash back. Not Shell. They do that sickening thing I loathe of pre-authorizing the card for fifty, then charging you the exact amount - but the fifty stays debited from your account for at least five days. Happily, I'd used my paypal card and I called them and they removed the pre-authorization charge and that money is now back in my account. I think someone should sue these companies for doing the pre-authorization and then the charge because basically you are out whatever the amount of the pre-authorization is for five business days - they have no right to take your money for one hour let alone five days. So, for five days instead of having paid $37 you've paid $87. Seems illegal to me.
