# 114 The Secret Life Of Mary Anne Spier

[bscfan24]

I just re-read this one a couple of weeks ago. It puts me in the holiday spirit. I think we can all relate to her on some way about the spending too much for Christmas.

I never noticed the Hunter recognizing her but not Logan thing. Hmm. That does seem strange.

Oh and the whole Angela thing was kind of weird. At least it was to me. I'm kind of glad they didn't put a "Waltons" ending in there where her parents realize they're wrong and take her back in. I think it was more realisitic with Angela going off to live with her friends.

[gabbie]

I love this book because I am very like Mary-Anne in terms of loving to spend too much money on my friends and family at Christmas.
Random Question: Do stores routinely let you use other people's credit cards like that? I know that the girl asked for ID but still, MA is clearly NOT Mr Richard Spier now is she?

I do understand that it was supposed to teach us about being responsible and not buy on credit but it does seem a little far-fetched. I also don't care how busy a place is they are going to check and make sure you are actually 16. If they don't they are liable. I cannot quite believe that Richard Spier, Mr I Live For Rules let his daughter basically break the law.

When I reread the book I tried to see the whole thing from Dawn's perspective but the thing is Dawn starts being a pain the second the plane lands which is before she knows about MA's secret life.

[starrynight]

^ Not the first incident of Dawn starting the poor behavior and Mary Anne having to apologize for it. Remember her reaction to Mary Anne's makeover in ..... "Mary Anne's Makeover?"

[jen]

gabbie said:

I love this book because I am very like Mary-Anne in terms of loving to spend too much money on my friends and family at Christmas.
Random Question: Do stores routinely let you use other people's credit cards like that? I know that the girl asked for ID but still, MA is clearly NOT Mr Richard Spier now is she?

Actually, I'm curious about that too. Where I live, you're not allowed to use other people's credit cards. If the signature doesn't match the card, then it's not you, and you can't use it. Are things different in America? And are charge cards different? I remember Stacey's dad giving Stacey his charge card and telling her to go buy outfits on a couple of occasions... Would he just tell her his PIN or something?

[lilafowler]

Before I had my own credit card, I'd take my mom's out when I went shopping, and no one ever noticed I signed my own name, and not hers.

The vast majority of cashiers who processed that card, or my card, since, don't check the signature. I know, because they'll swipe the card, hand it back to me, and have me sign the receipt after I've already put it away. So Stacey could very easily have gone and signed the receipts for her purchases herself, since it's unlikely anyone would have even cared to check.

The situation with Mary Anne's ID actually being checked and very obviously not matching the card, however, I am not sure about.

[starrynight]

I used to work retail and if any kids brought in their parents' credit cards, they usually brought in a signed note from the parent. Still, that was pretty rare and none of us liked to do it.

[sparklymouse]

When I go shopping, especially around the holiday season, the cashiers always hold onto the credit card until after you sign the slip so they can compare. I had to show my ID once because I had to sign one of those stupid computer-like screens (which I HATE! Just let me sign the d**n piece of paper) and my signature came out all funky. I think it'd be much easier to use a debit card with a pin number cause you don't always have to sign a slip for those.

[jen]

There have been tabloid news stories about cashiers who never check signatures, and experiments with men going and signing "Britney Spears" and getting away with it, but every time I've used my credit card, the signature gets checked. And I work in a shoe shop, and we always check the signatures. I guess attitudes/training/security are changing?

[gabbie]

I think it depends. Here now a lot of cards have PIN chips so the cashier never actually sees the card you just insert it and type the PIN number in. Which is good in theory because no-one but you should know your PIN number. In practice though it makes it easier if you do know the other person's PIN number.

It does seem a little irresponsible of Richard to let MA just take his card actually.

[jen]

gabbie said:

I think it depends. Here now a lot of cards have PIN chips so the cashier never actually sees the card you just insert it and type the PIN number in. Which is good in theory because no-one but you should know your PIN number. In practice though it makes it easier if you do know the other person's PIN number.

We have PINs for savings and cheque accounts, but for credit cards, it's still all just a signature.

As for Richard being irresponsible... *shrugs* I think he wanted to teach Mary Anne the value of money, maybe? Though as mentioned already, it doesn't seem to have worked out particularly well. Still, without that particular plot point, we wouldn't've been able to see Mary Anne's cool presents that she bought everyone! I love reading about those.

[greer]

It seems like this whole parents-letting-their-kids-take-cards used to be a lot more common--i just saw it on an episode of full house. I believe internet shopping is what killed it.

As for this book, I was just thinking about the special sparkly cover. Did all the printings have it, or just the first? Is there possibly only one printing each of the later books?

[starrynight]

I've had several copies of the book come through my hands, and they've all been sparkly.

[wanderingfrog]

I've never seen a copy of this book that wasn't sparkly.

I work retail, and I always check the signature on the back of the card and don't give it back until after I check. Although some people don't sign the backs of their cards, and plenty of others have signatures that are literally just a squiggly line, bearing no resemblance to letters or anything else other than a squiggly line, that would be very easy to fake.

[aln1982]

^ My copy is definitely sparkly. This is an interesting cover because it kind of stands out from the others. I've only read this one once and don't want to read again until Christmas but am looking forward to it as I don't remember much about it (but don't actually remember liking it that much ;D)

[alula]

In some of the earlier books, I thought the girls' parents had charge <i>accounts</i>, which are a little bit different. (Accounts being at a particular store, as opposed to cards, which you could take anywhere. My parents had an account at the store I bought my school supplies, for instance, so I could go by myself on the way home if I wasn't carrying enough cash).

I think in general, stores do check more now though, because there's a lot more awareness of identity theft issues. I get nervous sometimes, because my fibromyalgia affects my wrists a lot, so my signature isn't very consistent, and I'm always worried that some really overcautious cashier is going to accuse me of stealing.