day in court

I moved into my current apartment when I was pregnant with Alexander. 

My first electric bill is twice as much as it was at my previous Manhattan apartment, which was hardly half the size. Thus begins a 20-year dialogue with ConEd. Over the years, numerous ConEd experts have come to my house double-checking my meter and making recommendations on how to decrease my electrical usage. Their suggestions?  Buy energy saving light bulbs; and have your refrigerator door resealed. I diligently follow the advice I am given. And none makes any difference at all. 

This past February my landlord replaces my very old refrigerator with a new one. And then, bang. My ConEd bill drops $50/month. 

In all my queries to ConEd, over 20 years, and with all the suggestions they did give after coming to my apartment, why did no one ever say, "You know, old refrigerators are huge guzzlers of energy. The newer models use far less." Shouldn't they have at least made the observation? I think so. They are the experts, not me.

So on April first I file a complaint against ConEd in small claims court. Today is my hearing. I arrive downtown early and prepared. It's a magnificent cloudless day in lower Manhattan.

I go through the metal detectors at the court house and am asked if I have a camera. I do. I am told it must be checked. But not my phone, "In case you need to make any emergency calls." I hate rules that make no sense.

The court opens at 9:30, but we are told that nothing will happen before ten. Okay, another rule that makes no sense. But hey, it's the government. I don't understand a lot of their rules.

All the cases are called. People are suing for dog bites and other sundry reasons. There are cases against Time Warner Cable, a focus group company, a dog babysitting service, an investigative service, and a plumbing company. Someone else is even suing ConEd.

The ConEd rep approaches me and asks to speak outside.  We leave the courtroom and he asks me what the case is about. I don't think he's even read the complaint. He tells me he is going to ask for a continuance so he can prepare.  Really? Four months hasn't been long enough?  

And so that's what happens today. Three hours of totally wasted time, only to find out I need to return in September.  So what now? Is ConEd going to do a complicated regression analysis on my bills? Interview expert witnesses?  Or just show up? I guess I'll just have to wait another three months to find out.