Bitches Better Have My Money

So I was an extra for this YouTube commercial, right?  Saw it; can't stand the sight of me because I think I look like a dweeb and I stare down too much.  But still, it was cool and made me feel like spending the day at the shoot was totally worth it.

One of the other extras on the commercial just Messengered me tonight.  He asked me, "Have you gotten paid yet?"  And I realized that, no, I haven't gotten paid yet.  And it's been about a month.  I should have gotten paid by now.  Worse yet, if I don't get paid, I don't know who to turn to.  Yeah ... where do I go if I haven't gotten paid for my work?

And my friend's message has started an avalanche of passing thoughts that are converging on me right now, all of them regarding things I haven't gotten paid for yet.  I thought, for example, that the broadcast company hasn't paid me for working their Vikings game yet.  That thought was a couple weeks ago, but now, thanks to my friend, I'm thinking I should call them.  Same thing when I was doing those MRI scans at the U.  That's been over a month; why haven't they sent me a check yet?

Worst off was the experiment where I played The Hardest Game I've Ever Played.  This particular study reimburses me for all the parking I paid to get to the office downtown.  I was diligent in writing down each day's parking or transportation expense, so I added them all up and knew the amount of money I was supposed to get reimbursed for.  When I got the check (hey, at least these guys sent me a check), it was $2.25 less than what I thought I should have received.  That amount equals the cost of a ticket to ride the light rail, which I did the day I flew back from my vacation in St. Louis in order to come in for my session that day.

I spoke to my contact about the discrepancy and she said that I did not come in the day printed on the light rail receipt.  Oh yes I did, I replied -- there was only one person there, and it was not her, but I did come in and do the games.  And then she said something I didn't understand, but I thought she said something like, "Oh!  He didn't indicate that you came in.  We'll fix that and have another check sent out to you, OK?"  Uh, OK ... ?

And that was it.  Literally -- that was about a month ago and I still haven't seen that check for $2.25.  Yeah, that's chump change, but it's also the amount of money they promised to pay back to me because I spent it getting to the study.  I think I deserve to reimbursed for it, and for any expense they agreed to reimburse me for.  So why haven't they?  Shit, why haven't any of these people??  Damn, that's three places that need to give me my money I earned.  The hell, man?!  Do I have to call all these freakin' people???