The Great News Paper-Trail Trial

   I have subscribed to The Record for as many years as we've been in this house, granted, a leftover tribute to the paper my parents subscribed to back in the days  when newspapers were prime sources of news.  Over the years, the price of my subscription has risen to what amounts to a lot of money for very little newsprint, symptomatic of the throes of the death of print media.  But I'm a sucker for nostalgia, and habit.
    So when The Record sent me notice that my subscription term would end last November, I made payment in the amount of $503.40 for a 52 week subscription, through online deductions from our local bank account, as we've been doing for the last several years.  Right on the last due-date notification, our newspaper delivery stopped.  I waited a while, and then called to say I'd made payment.
     Rep #1 said it would take a while for the payment to arrive, so I said o.k.  Still no paper, so after a while I called back.
    Rep #2 said payments were now to be sent to Texas, not Albany. Didn't you read that on your statement?  I admitted I had not, had just made payment as usual. He told me I needed to contact my bank and re-send the payment. I said I would, and would wait to re-pay until I figured out where the first payment had gone, as the money was withdrawn from my account. I called my bank and the rep there said he would try to cancel the check,
   The very next day, Rep #3 called from The Record, noticing my subscription had lapsed and said he could offer a lower rate. I agreed, but said I first wanted to make sure my cancellation had cleared.
   A few days later, I called to take advantage of the lower rate, and Rep#4 told me he could offer only the $503 rate.  At my request, he agreed to have a supervisor, "one of 5 or 6 on the floor,"call me the next day. No one ever called, and I may add it's very difficult to reach a live person if you call them.  So I did nothing. It was easier than I thought to break the newspaper habit.
   But about 2 weeks ago, I saw an online notice that I could subscribe to The Times Union for $22 for, I think,  a 4-week subscription, so I made payment, even though I already have a Sunday-only T.U. paper delivered.
  Last week, I started to receive the Times Union every day, and, surprise, surprise, a Troy Record paper arrived along with it, has every day for the second week now.
     I figured it may just be a glitch on the part of the carrier, whoever that may be, as both papers have combined carriers.
   Today , I received a statement from The Record, advising that  my "current subscription term will end on 2/01/17."   The price to extend my  subscription is the higher rate, the $503.