Telephoner

The phone rang this evening as I was putting my two oldest children to bed. I normally don't answer the phone when I'm otherwise occupied, but I figured I'd better tonight since the hubby was on his way to the airport. I'm not sure what I could have done for him if it had been hubby and he had needed something, but answering the phone seemed like the right thing to do. I should have hung up right away when my cheery, "hello?" (OK, so it wasn't so very cheery) was met by the telltale silent pause that announces a computer generated telemarketing-type call, but I'm a curious sort, and figured I might as well hang on for a few more seconds to find out who it was and what they wanted. After hearing the change in tone that indicates that there is now a person on the line, I said another (not so cheery) hello, and was asked, "hello. Is your mother home?"

Oh, how I wish I had thought to say, "uh, no, my mother doesn't live here anymore," or some other true (because my mother was living here for a few days last week), but sure to shock quip. I went with a sarcastic sounding, "uuuuh, no," and was rewarded with an, "oh, you sound so young!" It was the Lupus Society calling to ask for my household discards. Oops. I guess I shouldn't have given them such good stuff last time, because now they won't stop calling. Of course if I would stay on the line long enough to tell them not to call again, maybe they'd stop...but probably not.