The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

American Express

I received a piece of American Express junk mail today announcing “The New Blue Card”. However it turned out not to be for paying for access to adult sites after all; the headline was in fact referring to the styling.

The dummy card enclosed with the letter was transparent plastic, with the name and number embossed in silver, and American Express written in a blue font. However, despite the claim that “The New Clear Blue Card is this year's clear must have” I just wasn’t tempted. There’s little point in looking at any credit card application that wants to know my gross annual income, as the laughter that normally accompanies the knock-back is quite humiliating.

After lobbing it on to the table, my daughter reached forward and picked it up, asking if she could have it.

“Fine” I said, “What are you going to do with it?”

“Go to the bank,” she replied.

“It’s just a pretend one, Meg”

“No, I’ll go to the bank!” She glared at me as though I was an idiot.

“Meg, it’s just a toy.”

“Hrmph.” She looked quite disgusted and tossed it back on to the table. “I don't want it now," she growled, "Put it in the bin.”

Do American Express have any idea just how much family strife they are responsible for?

2 comments

Belovedlife said...

Hey, Careful...my 5 yeqar old thinks those free fake cards are the bomb! She loves to play bank or store and is disappointed when we don't get them. In fact you know how they have those plastic gift cards at department stores? Well she thinks they are free money cards and collects them, whether charged with money or borrowed from the store, no money attached. Fun! But it can be confusing at the same time.
Great blog, I found it by way of my husbands (DownSyndromeLife)...

Kim Ayres said...

Thank you!

I've sometimes felt that money is a pretty strange concept anyway. Instead of saying this pair of shoes is worth three chickens, we have a system that involves bits of paper that represent lumps of metal stored away where we will never see it.

Once you bring credit cards and online transactions into the equation, then you don't even get to see the bits of paper. The whole world economy is based on a series of numbers flying around the globe in a virtual environment.

Basically the system only works because we believe in it. Without that unquestioning faith the whole thing would collapse.

No wonder confusion reigns!

Phew... I think I'd better go and lie down for a bit...
:)

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