Another of my claims concerned a $680,000 delinquent Michelin Tire account.

Michelin handed the account to Strong, Strong & Stryker Assoc., Ltd., when a certain Mr. Scarfone, of Scarfone & Sons Carting Service, broke his third promise to pay a $40,000 installment on the balance. Scarfone had not paid a dime in six months.

Luckily for me I read the Dun and Bradstreet report before I called Scarfone. Dun and Bradstreet is a company that provides detailed financial information on companies and their officers for would-be lending agencies. The report on the Scarfone "companies" indicated they were in the process of being indicted by the Bronx District Attorney for monopolistic practices and racketeering in the garbage hauling business. The last line of the report said "known syndicate connections." Great. I was collecting from the mob.

"Scarfone's," intoned the deep-voiced, Brooklyn-accented, female receptionist. I asked for the chief financial officer. "Do you want Dominic Scarfone?"

"That's right," I said.

A moment later, a voice belched, "Dom here. Go."

I replied, "Rodney Strong here. I'm the agent for Michelin."

Full thirty-second silence. "I'm calling about invoices open, due, and immediately owing to Michelin." Full forty-five second silence. "Have you heard of Michelin?"

Then I was placed on speakerphone. "Yeh, Rodney, no problem [ruffling papers]-- I sent $14,000 last week [ruffling papers]. Julio! Get me the check numbers [ruffling papers]. Julio! Anyway I'm not gonna send you a dime cause I don't know you from Jack."

Click. We were disconnected.

I immediately called Michelin to verify payment. They'd received nothing.