Fewer Opinions, More Dollars

I knew what was in the envelope before I opened it.  With the return address "Arbitron," what could it be but an invitation to take part in their radio survey program?  I knew the answer to that, too.  Yet another dollar bill.  I showed it to my housemate, who predictably lamented "Why are they always sending you money." 

I couldn't answer that, but I do hope "they" don't stop.  Meanwhile, the letter from Arbitron told me that I could enroll in the survey over the internet, or await their telephone call.  I was a bit rushed at the time, so deferred enrollment until I heard from them.  I was reminded of the opportunity a week later when I received another envelope and another dollar.  They claimed to have spoken with "someone in my household," so I did my own survey.  This was pretty easy, even for a 100% sample, which elicited no admissions of contact.  I put the envelope aside, thinking they'd try again, since that's what the enclosed card said.  (Confession:  I just might have been thinking that an additional dollar might be forthcoming.)  I put the new envelope aside, next to the first one.  (No, I had no hope that the dollar bills would somehow have progeny, even though one had an even serial number and the other was odd.)

After another few days with no telephone contact with Arbitron, and with no additional dollars forthcoming, I went to the Arbitron web site to see if I qualified to enroll in the survey. "We're sorry, but the deadline to enroll in our survey has passed." It would seem that I lost my chance to tell the New York market how much I appreciate WXPK's format.  So it goes.  I'm not even sure I would have qualified.  Although I don't work in broadcasting now, I have done so in the past, and am involved in the broadcasting industry, albeit not at a station.

Even though my "home was randomly selected to represent the households in [my] area," I'm not devastated by my failure to represent my particular group of kilohouseholds.  As I said, I may not have been qualified in any event, and I also learned an important lesson from this experience:  Check carefully when someone sends you a brand new dollar bill in the post!  You may find, as I did, that two bills are stuck together, and you have actually received more money than you thought.  Another benefit of human carelessness and tribological science.

NP:  "Doctor My Eyes" - Jackson Browne

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