On Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:35:34 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

What exactly is the point in going through all this rigamarole? Some jerk
calls that you don't want to talk to -- how hard is it to just hang up the
phone? Why do you need to make him hang up?

I can tell you why I do stuff like that. First of all, I'm retired.
Time is not money to me, but it is to them. The longer I can keep them
on the line (to no end, for their purposes), the more it amuses me,
but most importantly, the more it costs them. Not only that, the more
time they spend on me the less time they have to call you.

No. No need for thanks. Your understanding is thanks enough.

By the way, I got turned over to a collection agency recently (for a
bill I've already paid, twice, by the way). A couple of days ago I got
a call on my cell phone (probably about the third one from them). The
guy asks for me. I said, "who are you?"

"My name is Jacob (or something). Can you verify that I'm talking to
LRod?"

"I don't know who you are. What do you want?"

"Please verify that I am talking to LRod."

"Your name is not familiar to me. Who are you?"

"I'm sorry. I have personal business to discuss with LRod. Can you
verify that is who I'm talking to?"

"You're the one who called me. If you don't know who you called,
that's your problem."

"Yes, I called, but anyone could answer the phone. I have personal
business to discuss with LRod and I must verify you are him."

"And anyone could be calling me. I don't have to give you any
information whatsoever without knowing who you are."

This went on, back and forth, for a couple of minutes. Finally, he
said, "we are not getting anywhere here. We are wasting time."

"Then perhaps you should review your calling courtesy protocol. You
called me. I don't owe you anything. It's your responsibility to
identify who you are and what your business is if you want to continue
a conversation with me."

He hung up.

That was fun.

Incidentally, the bank is on the case. I also had a very pleasant chat
with a supervisor at the company in question. He was not pleased that
one of his CS reps hung up on me when I refused to dance her tune
earlier in the day.

It's not like I'm any sort of deadbeat.


--
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net
http://www.normstools.com

Proud participant of rec.woodworking since February, 1997

email addy de-spam-ified due to 1,000 spams per month.
If you can't figure out how to use it, I probably wouldn't
care to correspond with you anyway.