Somebody Answer the Phone

[Rule3]

"Your call is very important to us"
We have been experiencing higher than usual call volume, all operators are busy right now, please hold for the next unavailable.

Not so much that we will actually answer it!

 

[ameridaddy]

... YOU CAN"T GET THERE FROM HERE.
...Me: "Thanks anyway but by then I'll be dead or well and not in need of the appointment."
Going to ENT Doc on Tuesday.
Somebody with "answers", answer the @#$%&*%$@ phone. Joe

Don't feel too bad. I see a popular, well-thought-of dermatologist once a year to check check for skin cancer, but if I want an appointment in between, there's a five month wait list.
Must be nice to be really good at what you do in the midst of scarcity.

 

[grover99]

When I was young and we got our first phone it had no dial or push buttons. You wanted to call someone you picked the receiver up and an operator would say number please. You wanted to call long distance it took as much as 10 minutes. The operator would call you back when your call was completed. Nowdays if I don't know the number calling I don't answer.

 

[LVSteve]

With cell phones, everyone thinks I'm on call 24/7, too. If you call between 12 and 1, I don't answer. Anyone remember lunch breaks?

I'm definitely seeing the downside of that with the contractor at my house. He's one of the main guys at the company, but worse is the fact that his carrier has lousy service at my house. He keeps having to step outside to take calls. I doubt it's doing much for his concentration, and it's a good reminder why many employers at a fixed site are telling the workers to leave their phones alone.

 

[Golddollar]

.

These days, unless it is someone in my contacts, the calls go to voice mail.

I had 2 calls supposedly from my best known contact, and i still refused to answer it. The caller ID said it was from me at my phone number. Yeah, that's right, some scammer was trying to spoof me with my own name and number.

I've been talking to myself for years and I never needed a phone to do it.

 

[delcrossv]

95% of calls to my phone are telemarketers so unless it's a recognized number, straight to voice-mail it goes.

 

[Hair Trigger]

When I was a kid everybody in the house ran to answer. My dad put a phone in every room so it was easy.

We even had a phone in the bathroom.

Dad was the exchange supervisor for the local phone company when I was a kid, and later became the exchange manager. He even rigged up a telephone intercom on a separate line between my bedroom and my 6th grade class at school when I was 11. I had been hit by a car while I was riding my bicycle and was unable to attend school for half the year. I had perfect attendance that year, I could hear everything said in class and I could push a button to ask questions. My teacher brought my homework assignments once a week. This was 1965.

You'd think a smart phone today would allow a kid to attend school without being there, but nooooo, they're too busy playing games on them to use it as a learning tool.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

A big problem with cell phones, etc. is that they have blurred a lot of lines and people use them at the wrong time and place. In the days of pagers people were cautioned to either turn them off or to vibrate only at concerts, religous services-funerals, e.g. I attended a Good Friday service at an Orthodox church yesterday, a woman's phone went off and she was fumbling and bumbling to turn it off. I have an Iron Rule, I do NOT answer my phone when I am driving and I frequently see signs by the road warning peope NOT to text while driving, IMHO they shouldn't even use a Bluetooth, etc.
And I have lost track of the wrong numbers I get.

 

[boykinlp]

When I was working, and would go into an establishment for a meal, I always left my phone in my vehicle. It has always driven me crazy when people would answer their phones in a restaurant and talk loudly to whoever was on the other end! I've even seen people answer their phone and talk to the caller with the speaker on, so everyone in the restaurant has to listen to their conversation.

I also remember seeing something else happen while in a restaurant. Two twenty something year old folks were eating together, and texting back and forth instead of talking. This actually would have been fine with me, except they didn't have their notifications on silent.

So there were times when I didn't answer my phone!
Larry

 

[zeke]

For over 25 years had to answer the phone/return messages promptly at work. This led to starting earlier than most so could get some actual work done. Was always "on call" for emergency's, but it was rare.

Am retired, have a phone that plugs into the wall. Had to give up the rotary, but still have it. All my friends/family/doctors know to let the phone ring at least 15-20 times. This is the secret pass code to get me to answer. Am not one to jump right up when the phone rings, but this takes practice, patience and attitude. If you answer a robo call right away, it seems the robo calls instantly multiply. Also do not have a messaging system. This leads to less time on the phone, and if they need to get hold of me send email.

Used to be if you waited through the automatic messaging system, they gave you option if not using push buttons. That went away, and the rotary got shelved.

People say well we get you on your carry phone, and are dismayed/non-believing when it is explained ain't got one.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Let's see a wall phone do this;



Or this;

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Leave the phone home unless the wife and I are not together. If you are not in my contacts, it will show a number. I don't answer unknown numbers. The few contacts I have know to leave a text and I'll get back to them later. A phone no longer rules my life. Neither do apps or profiles.

 

[arjay]

Doc in the box. You can usually get in the day you call or you can set an appointment on line.Costs about $150

 

[Old 44 Guy]

As before when I worked for Ma Bell, I had a trouble call. Can't call out so went there and the lady was dialing the last 4 numbers she was calling.

 

[zeke]

Let's see a wall phone do this;

Have a big dog that likes to walk everyday. Measured the route on computer mapping system at about 2 miles (more than 25 yrs ago). Don't need to see it each time, or how many steps. Send in my pacemaker report every month now. My cardiologist doesnt think i should be cutting the grass and he reminds me it ain't the dog with "leaks".

Have my grandmothers cheese graters, in several varying grates. Am taking pleasure in maintaining/using them. Still should get a folder so i could call for assistance, or they could find my body.

 

[Doug M.]

Fascinating. I posted in this string yesterday and it is not here.

Anyway: I am salaried and on-call. The majority of the on-call stuff is for criminal division folks, but there are things I do that no one else knows well enough. Only a few folks can bypass my "do not disturb", which set for 2000-0800 on work days, and about noon on weekends as I need to make up sleep.One client and my division chief can break through; one of my doctors, and my wife. Everyone else can wait.

I do get calls I don't recognize that may be medical as I am waiting for a transplant, but they often go to VM. Most people that call me from ou of the blue are glad I don't answer; I am more than a little gruff. If they are lucky, I stop with "What?"; if they are not, I finish the sentence.

 

[Bald1]

If I recognize number I'll answer. If I don't I won't. If you don't leave a message I'll probably block your number. If it's important enough to call. It's important enough to leave a message.