22 October 2003
The greater good
A few weeks ago my vacuum cleaner quit working, and when Dominus was inspecting it I said, "Next time we buy a vacuum I want a Kirby."
"Yes," said Dominus, "I've heard those are the best."
"They are. They are also the most expensive and for that reason I do not want to buy one until I can pay cash for it." We already have far too much debt and I'm happy to wait to buy a new machine until after we've become solvent.
My wonderful Dominus discovered the problem with the vacuum and declared it to be within his power to repair; all he needed was a new part, so I ordered one from the manufacturer's website.
The very next day we received a phone call (how do these people know?) from - you guessed it - a Kirby salesman. Dominus called me, and looking at me inquiringly, said, "There is a Kirby salesman on the phone."
"And...?" said I.
"You said that you really want a Kirby." Men are far more enamoured of their power tools than women are, and I suppose that this is why he thought to let me know the salesman was on the phone - so that if I really wanted the machine, I could buy it now. That is, I could ask the bank to buy it for me.
"I also said that I don't want one until I can pay cash for it."
He looked at me dubiously and I left the room. He turned the man down.
The next week the part arrived and Dominus repaired the vacuum. It works fine and only cost me about fifteen dollars.
A few weeks ago my vacuum cleaner quit working, and when Dominus was inspecting it I said, "Next time we buy a vacuum I want a Kirby."
"Yes," said Dominus, "I've heard those are the best."
"They are. They are also the most expensive and for that reason I do not want to buy one until I can pay cash for it." We already have far too much debt and I'm happy to wait to buy a new machine until after we've become solvent.
My wonderful Dominus discovered the problem with the vacuum and declared it to be within his power to repair; all he needed was a new part, so I ordered one from the manufacturer's website.
The very next day we received a phone call (how do these people know?) from - you guessed it - a Kirby salesman. Dominus called me, and looking at me inquiringly, said, "There is a Kirby salesman on the phone."
"And...?" said I.
"You said that you really want a Kirby." Men are far more enamoured of their power tools than women are, and I suppose that this is why he thought to let me know the salesman was on the phone - so that if I really wanted the machine, I could buy it now. That is, I could ask the bank to buy it for me.
"I also said that I don't want one until I can pay cash for it."
He looked at me dubiously and I left the room. He turned the man down.
The next week the part arrived and Dominus repaired the vacuum. It works fine and only cost me about fifteen dollars.
21 October 2003
Telemarketers....AAARGH!
Usually I'm very polite when these people call me. I just tell them, "Thank you, but I'm not interested," and hang up quickly before they have time to say anything else. Sometimes if I think about it, I ask to be removed from their list. More often than not though, I just let the phone ring so long before I answer that telemarketers give up.
Today, however, I finally gave in. Maybe it's because I was having such a hectic day, but when I answered the phone and this polite man greeted me with my first name and I realized he was calling for the same mortgage company that calls me two or three times a week, I just nearly lost it.
"This is Dino Rosenschplat* calling on behalf of American Fincance Company** and I just want to talk to you about your home loan..."
"I'm really not interested. Could you please take me off your list?" I said, as calmly as possible.
"Actually, I'm not going to talk long, I just want to save you some money."
"I know you do, but I'm so tired of y'all calling me, and I really don't want to talk to you, so would you please stop calling me?"
"Oh, yes, thank you."
"Thank you!" I said as cheerfully as possible.
Oh Great God of Heaven, please don't let those people call me back again!
*Name changed in order to protect the innocent
**Name not changed in order to expose the guilty
Usually I'm very polite when these people call me. I just tell them, "Thank you, but I'm not interested," and hang up quickly before they have time to say anything else. Sometimes if I think about it, I ask to be removed from their list. More often than not though, I just let the phone ring so long before I answer that telemarketers give up.
Today, however, I finally gave in. Maybe it's because I was having such a hectic day, but when I answered the phone and this polite man greeted me with my first name and I realized he was calling for the same mortgage company that calls me two or three times a week, I just nearly lost it.
"This is Dino Rosenschplat* calling on behalf of American Fincance Company** and I just want to talk to you about your home loan..."
"I'm really not interested. Could you please take me off your list?" I said, as calmly as possible.
"Actually, I'm not going to talk long, I just want to save you some money."
"I know you do, but I'm so tired of y'all calling me, and I really don't want to talk to you, so would you please stop calling me?"
"Oh, yes, thank you."
"Thank you!" I said as cheerfully as possible.
Oh Great God of Heaven, please don't let those people call me back again!
*Name changed in order to protect the innocent
**Name not changed in order to expose the guilty
