Caller Beware

I know. I know. I haven't been posting lately. The problem is the couch is so comfy and the computer is so very far away from the comfy couch. So sue me. Anyhoo, I've had this post rattling around my brain for two weeks and I find myself finally at the computer, far, far away from my comfy couch.

We have a telemarketer problem. They call and call and call. Thankfully, we have caller ID and most of the time our caller ID actually does what it is supposed to do. It tells us who is calling. Unfortunately, and all too often, the caller ID does not tell us who is calling and only displays we have an incoming call. When this occurs, we end up having to answer the phone, with much trepidation, as the incoming call very well could be a dreaded telemarketer. Usually the task of answering the "incoming call" calls falls to yours truly, but one Sunday evening, while I was out playing chauffeur, Wingnut answered the call.

You know the telltale pause of a telemarketer before they pick up their side of the phone. Just such an irritating pause occurred with this call. This got Wingnut's dander up. The daring caller asked for Mrs. M. after the significant pause. Wingnut answered politely I wasn't in; to which the caller asked to whom he was speaking.

"You called me. Who do you think this is?" he responded with a bit more irritation in his voice.

"Mr. M.?"

"Why, yes, this is Mr. M. Now you tell me. Why are you calling my house on a Sunday evening at dinnertime? Are you trying to p@%% me off?"

An uncomfortable pause was then followed by a very meek, "Uh, Mr. M., this is U., JayP's friend. I was calling to see if he needed a ride to LifeTeen."

U. had paused when the phone had been answered because he could not discern between Wingnut's and JayP's voices. As he couldn't be sure to whom he was speaking, he naturally asked for me, rather than embarrass himself by mistaking the identity of the voice on the other end of the line.

Amused, Wingnut quickly apologized, "Oh U.! I am so sorry! Tell your dad I'm sorry I said p@%% me off. Boy, U., you'd make a terrible telemarketer!"

"That's all right, sir. I've got something else lined up." (Young Master U. is discerning a vocation to the priesthood while studying at a high school seminary).

Upon returning home and having the above story relayed to me, I immediately called our dear friends to apologize for my neanderthal husband and his p@##% mouth. Mercifully, they were having a good chuckle over the whole episode. It is a blessing, indeed, to have such wonderful and understanding friends!