Saturday, June 29, 2013

Nosy Phone Calls

Maggie answers the phone, knows she can't handle whatever-it-is the stranger is saying, and passes the phone off to Mom.  I pick up the receiver and say hello.

"Have I reached you today on a land line or on a cell phone?"

A confused look pops out on my face.  "Why do you want to know?"

"It's the first question on our survey today."

Me: "I won't be answering that question today."


She responded firmly: "Are you on a land line or on a cell phone?  It's the first question I have for you on our survey today about vaccinations in your community."


"I won't be answering that question today."

Caller: "How many children between the ages of 2 and 59 months do you have in your household?"

Me (in partial shock and partial laughter):  "I won't be answering that question today."

Well, I must have sounded more snippy than I intended because her irritated response was, "You don't have to be so hostile about this."

Putting on my best effort at a pleasant voice: "I'm not being hostile.  I'm just telling you that I won't be answering your questions today."

"WHY do you have to be so difficult about this?!  Now, how many children between the ages of ..."

"Excuse me.  I won't be answering your questions today.  I'm going to hang up now.  Buh-bye."



Wow.



2 comments:

  1. No kidding. Wow! Did she ever even identify herself or the purpose of her call?

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  2. What I wrote here is how she started with me. When I got off the phone and asked Maggie for more information, she didn't remember what the lady had said. But when I explained what had transpired, Maggie said she did remember hearing something about UW and vaccines when she picked up the phone. But she wasn't sure if it was computerized or live at that point.

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