Yet again this morning that purported Microsoft gentleman with
the pleasant foreign-sounding voice called me re problems with my computer which he said he would be more than happy to walk me through resolving. Knowing this for the scam that it is, I hung up, but only after notifying the caller that he was involved in a criminal activity and screaming my standard “Fuck You” into the receiver. I get 4 or 5 calls from this group every week.
I have not heard the urgent recorded voice of Rachel from
Cardmember Services in some time. Not that they don’t continue to call me, but they have callers with different names now. It’s not the same to scream “Fuck You!” to a recording, but sometimes I just can’t help myself.
Incidentally I have a good friend in Tuscaloosa who always waits until Rachel (or whoever) finishes the spiel and then he hits the number to connect him with a live person. Then he tries to keep the party on the line as long as possible, usually starting off the conversation with a worried query about Rachel, whom he says he misses and wonders what happened to her. He keeps
the conversation going until the party at the other end finally hangs up in despair. I admire his tenacity, but I just don’t have the energy. He gets great fun out of it, however.
Cardmember Services in some time. Not that they don’t continue to call me, but they have callers with different names now. It’s not the same to scream “Fuck You!” to a recording, but sometimes I just can’t help myself.
Incidentally I have a good friend in Tuscaloosa who always waits until Rachel (or whoever) finishes the spiel and then he hits the number to connect him with a live person. Then he tries to keep the party on the line as long as possible, usually starting off the conversation with a worried query about Rachel, whom he says he misses and wonders what happened to her. He keeps
the conversation going until the party at the other end finally hangs up in despair. I admire his tenacity, but I just don’t have the energy. He gets great fun out of it, however.
Apparently I have ordered, or someone has ordered for me, or I have won in a contest a great number of and variety of expensive devices intended to aid decrepit seniors: emergency call buttons you wear about your neck in case you fall, special chairs to help you rise, specialty bathtubs, and the like. Most of the callers are real people, for I can hear them hesitate a bit while
reading their scripts at my screams of “Fuck You!” Then I hang up.
And the calls I get from people trying to sell me security systems! Let me ask you, can you imagine anyone in his right mind ever admitting to an anonymous caller that he does not have a home security system? My standard reply here is “I’m sorry, but I already have a security system.”
You would not believe how many organizations there are raising money for widows and orphans of law enforcement officers of various types. I rather imagine that at least some of them may be valid organizations, but they really need to combine their efforts under one well-known and reputable umbrella. I try to keep my temper and reply to them calmly, as I do to various organizations raising money for breast cancer, muscular dystrophy, and the like: “I’m sorry, but I have a policy never to donate money solicited by a telephone call.”
reading their scripts at my screams of “Fuck You!” Then I hang up.
And the calls I get from people trying to sell me security systems! Let me ask you, can you imagine anyone in his right mind ever admitting to an anonymous caller that he does not have a home security system? My standard reply here is “I’m sorry, but I already have a security system.”
You would not believe how many organizations there are raising money for widows and orphans of law enforcement officers of various types. I rather imagine that at least some of them may be valid organizations, but they really need to combine their efforts under one well-known and reputable umbrella. I try to keep my temper and reply to them calmly, as I do to various organizations raising money for breast cancer, muscular dystrophy, and the like: “I’m sorry, but I have a policy never to donate money solicited by a telephone call.”
Calls beginning “As a senior citizen you . . .” and “The FBI reports that . . .” always prompt immediate hangups. So do calls from any organization claiming to be conducting a poll. Now I have nicely contrarian opinions about lots of stuff, but they are mine and certainly not yours for the asking. (I’ll bet more than one of you out there have, like me, gotten “opinion poll” questions just before an election with questions phrased like “Would you rather vote for Mr. X of the Cabbage Party, a fine upstanding Christian family-values man, or Mr. Y of the Turnip Party who has done all he can to
destroy family values and may well be the Antichrist?”)
What to do, what to do!
destroy family values and may well be the Antichrist?”)
What to do, what to do!
One friend advises me to discontinue my land line and rely totally on my cell phone, as he does. Well, cell phone service is not always reliable where I live (and voicemail particularly problematic), and quite frankly, not being as young as I used to be, I like to have both available in case one should go out. (The Alabama tornadoes of April 2011 confirmed that need for me.)
Another advises don’t answer unless you recognize the number on your caller ID. Well, it is hard for me, with my macular degeneration, to see those numbers on a phone screen: the light has to be just right, I have to be at the right angle, and I have to get there before the phone kicks over to my answering machine so I rarely have time for the ID detection. And I do have friends who have (for important reasons) blocked their phone number from appearing as caller ID, so “unknown caller” messages have to be answered.
I abhor unwanted telephone calls, and unfortunately I get more of them than I do calls I wish to receive.
My dream situation: to have a telephone system whereby I could block all calls from numbers other than ones I have specifically allowed plus numbers from hospitals, doctors, and law enforcement and emergency management personnel. I could even see the possibility of letting a “first call” from a number in, with the option given me to block that number in the future. Surely with the communication and information technologies of today and the future something like that would be possible.
Another advises don’t answer unless you recognize the number on your caller ID. Well, it is hard for me, with my macular degeneration, to see those numbers on a phone screen: the light has to be just right, I have to be at the right angle, and I have to get there before the phone kicks over to my answering machine so I rarely have time for the ID detection. And I do have friends who have (for important reasons) blocked their phone number from appearing as caller ID, so “unknown caller” messages have to be answered.
I abhor unwanted telephone calls, and unfortunately I get more of them than I do calls I wish to receive.
My dream situation: to have a telephone system whereby I could block all calls from numbers other than ones I have specifically allowed plus numbers from hospitals, doctors, and law enforcement and emergency management personnel. I could even see the possibility of letting a “first call” from a number in, with the option given me to block that number in the future. Surely with the communication and information technologies of today and the future something like that would be possible.
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