Ok starting to make more headway ... I see what is happening. The product I am purchasing has a "Role assignment" of one month, and it has a "Recurring fee" which will happen one month from now, and then each successive month.

The comments generated on the order tell the story. The customer is granted the user role of "subscriber" from the role assignment (+1 month), then when the recurring fee is created, it also adds a month!

Why would it work this way? If a recurring fee is set to happen one month from now, and then each successive month, the user should not receive site access until the first recurring fee payment is made. See the information below I copied from the order:

11/22/2008
4:52:39 PM 2923 Customer granted user role subscriber.
11/22/2008
4:52:39 PM - Recurring fee 254 added to order.
11/22/2008
4:52:39 PM 2923 Customer user role subscriber renewed.
11/22/2008
4:52:39 PM - Order created through website.