Phone Calls

On Saturday during the big rain storm I got a phone call that went like this:

"Hello, Mr. Oakley. This is Hapless Phone Representative from the Baltimore Sun. We see that you haven't subscribed to The Sun in several years and we really miss you."
"No you don't."
"Well, we miss your money. And that's why I'm calling you today to present you with some great discounted..."
"No thanks."
"You say that with such conviction. Any reason why?"
"You mean other than teh fact that The Sun is a one-sided liberal propaganda machine? How about the scathing article written last week by Susan Reimer ripping apart Republican Sarah Palin?"
"You have a nice day, sir." Click.

I thought for sure he'd like to have a debate or some kind of conversation with me. Perhaps he's heard that a lot this week. It must be tough working for a company that is so divisive.

Now what bugs me the most is that I am on the Federal Do Not Call List and I think The Sun has violated this law by calling me. I mean, it's been several years since I've done business with them. Can I turn them in for this? Perhaps if they promise to fire Susan Reimer, I'll let them off easy.

And speaking of Do Not Call Lists, I donate blood for the Red Cross 4 times per year. And I donate fairly regularly. I've donated about 35 times in my life. They come to where I work making it really easy for me. And I get out of work for an hour and a half. How great is that?

So regardless of the fact that I donate 4 times per year, the Red Cross calls my house 300 times per year asking me to donate. They'll call me the day after I donate and cry that they're extremely low on my blood type. I tell them, "At the moment, so am I!"

I have called them repeatedly and asked them to stop calling me. I will continue to donate, but they have to stop calling. The calls did stop for a while. Then last month they started calling again. And they don't really call me. I'm at work. They call my wife at home. And she hollers at me that the Red Cross keeps calling when I'm not home. Yes, that's totally my fault.

So, Red Cross, if you continue to call my house, I will be forced to ask you again to stop calling me again.