14
Robert H.Little M.D.
935 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto Ca. 9430l-3395
Account # O 55075 431Ol 9
MARCH 14/92
SEARS ROEBUCK and Co.
Sears Charge
P.O.Box 5 Boise ID 83707
Copies to:Sears Payment Center .P.O.Box 86020 Pasadena Ca
9ll86-OO2O
My local Sears. P.O.Box 7l50 Mountain View Ca94O89-OOOO
Dear Friends: You have billed me for $965.9l
I inclose a copy.
In l99l my wallet was stolen by a young man who I had
befriended. I suspected he was a thief but this time he
said he just wanted to use the bathroom.
My wallet was lying on the kitchen table. The reason for
this was that I have been using a wheel chair due to an
injured left leg. I had been keeping the wallet handy to pay
my neighbor for shopping for groceries. Because of the wheel
chair it was awkward to put the wallet in my pocket.
I kept my eye on him but he was too fast for me. H e stole
my wallet and a new camera I had just received from Sears.
Your local store called my and asked if I had a nephew named
Jeff Jones. He came with an older man. They tried to charge
a list of items
The store called the police. ( Some weeks later, Jones ended
in the county Jail.)
One thing that disturbs me is that he was allowed to keep my
credit card. On my next months bill from Sears I found
that he had charged up over $8OO.OO in building supplies at
your Cupertino branch. They were not things
a professional person would buy.
l. I have been trying to find out why the thief was allowed
to keep my credit card
2. Why was your Cupertino store not suspicious?
3. How long was the interval between the thefts?
4. Two of my problems is that I cannot find the bill from
your Cupertino store. I have been searching frantically
for it.
My most distressing problem is that I am very hard of
hearing. This made it difficult and sometimes impossible
to understand your representative on the long distance
telephone. (About l0 days ago my HEARING AID SPECIALIST
was able to adjust a new aid that was comfortable and greatly
improved my hearing. Now I can talk to most people.
5. Last month i had a distressing experience. a nephew , who
was a visitor from Finland, drove me to your Mountain View
store. The ladies who looked up my case spoke rather softly.
I had difficulty hearing them. So they just ignored me and
dealt with my nephew. Your main representative said I
probably had a poor memory and did not remember what really
happened.
I was in charge of the Eye Ear & Throat at the veterans
Administration Hospitals in Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
I have practiced preventive medicine for most of career.
This was based on the principle that the word Physician.
meant Teacher. I taught countless people about health.
They did not always listen, but that was their problem.
I was unequally helpful to veterans who had broken down
mentally. Mental institutions are not always helpful.
For instance. usually on their history record they would
emphasize that the patient has contemplated suicide.
I would explain that almost all men at sometime had done so.
What appeared to cheer them the most was that I would say
don't try to be lOO% sane today, you might lose your mind.
Aim at being l5% nutty but keep in style. This my seem
funny but the world does appear a little crazy.
I was in a position of power. However, during my sisters
long illness and final death, I resigned. Now I am
Old (88))), crippled and deaf. Ignorant people may treat
me as a senile idiot, a potato. This can be depressing.
Depression is considered a common cause of death in old men.
I keep up my self esteem by protecting my memory bank from
filling up with what I call garbage. Like a computer, it is
garbage in , garbage out.
I have always considered MY FORTRESS. Something I could
count on. I consider PRICE CLUBS an abomination. I talk
to many people about this. I bought stock in Sears because
I felt part of the Sears family. When I shop at the Sears
store I may tell the clerk, that I cannot live with Sears. I
trust them , that they work for a great company. I wish
them well. I never treat people as things. I thank
clerks for the merchandise. I also thank and appreciate their
service people. I talk about Sears.
I am inclosing my check for $l,OOO.OO. This is to stop
that l9% charge from growing like a bonfire. I am still
not happy about my case. All wanted was an explanation.
This long letter is to give you a picture of myself.
I will always have scars from my interview at the local
store.
I do not have deep worries about myself but I am concerned
about my friends and relatives and people generally.
I believe that what we call civilization is breaking down
The great hunger is coming. There may be food riots.
Violence may increase Dramatically. Most of it is so
unnecessary. I am working on a book about the whole thing.
