Phones, Faxes, TV & Games (Virtual Downloads)

A STORY TO TELL

When I was appointed Co-Guardian and Conservator for my mother, it was a big job -- especially because I promised the Judge and my mom I would arrange it so my mom could stay in her home (with proper care) as long as she was alive.  She lived in Minnesota; I live in California.  Caring for her involved a lot of flying back and forth.  Plus, Mom lived in a small town in northern Minnesota.  A very small town.  Real small.  Few resources were available to help with the massive paperwork connected to the Conservator's court-mandated duties.  I traveled and tried to bring as much equipment as I could to do the job, but I couldn't always anticipate what might come up next.

After Mom passed, on one occasion -- at the start of the downward spiral in the housing market -- we were trying to sell Mom's house.  It had been a true blessing caring for her.  It brought us full circle -- from dysfunctional relationship to loving Mother and Daughter.  Our hearts became linked, healed.  She was there for my first breath.  I held her hand while she exhaled her last.  But selling a house in a small town when the housing market came to a standstill challenged me.  I didn't want to leave the house untended; nor did I want to rent it out (a duplex no less) while living in California.  Who would take care of it?  I could see me being called there in xub-zero temperatures to fix a frozen toilet because I couldn't find anyone who would..  I wasn't looking forward to it.  Yet everyone said, "No properties have sold in this county for months and none will.  Don't get your hopes up." 

I did anyway (got my hopes up).  I believe things happen for a reason.  It was time to sell Mom's house.  My brother and I investigated and decided to go the auction route.  With the Judge's permission, we decided to proceed.  But we needed the last sibling's permission to move ahead.  To do that, I had to prepare and get signed a legal document. (I used to work as a legal secretary.)   I sat in a car outside a grocery store in this small town.  No Kinkos here.  Where was I going to prepare and make copies of the document?  I bought a car charger for my laptop and typed it. But it did me no good unless I got it out of my computer..  Now, how to get it printed?  I couldn't run a printer in my car (at least I didn't know how).  Then, I had an idea.  If I purchased the services of RingCentral -- a virtual phone and fax service, I could type the legal document in my car, and then using RingCentral,  fax it to the fax machine in the town's grocery store.  Then, I could use their copier to make the copies I needed.  Problem solved!  It took only minutes to sign up with RingCentral.  Their services worked as promised.  I typed the document, made the copies, got the permission the Judge required, the auction went forward, and although nobody could believe it -- the house sold in the range the Judge and family required at the first auction we held.

Thanks, Mom, for your help.  And thank you RingCentral.  You saved the day!  I know this is a unique use of their services, but it sure saved our family -- during a stressful time --  a lot of extra trouble.

Melody Beattie