Telemarketers

Ooh, here's a common enemy to unite the troops!

First, you've probably heard this tip: register your number at donotcall.gov. Very easy, and now it doesn't expire -- you used to have to re-register about every five years. We very seldom get calls, mostly the ones that are exempt (charity, political ads, research polls).

I got the all-time most annoying call a few weeks ago. "I would like to speak to Mr or Mrs Jackson." My standard reply is, "Who's calling please?" The answer this time was in such a thick accent I COULD NOT understand one word. So I simply hung up.

A few seconds later, the phone rang again! Really, I thought, you have got to be kidding me.

"Mrs. Jackson, why did you hang up on me?"

"I could not understand a word you said, and we are on the do not call list."

"This is not a marketing call. If you did not want to be called, why did you mark the ballot?" Then a bunch more unintelligible words. No, I have no idea what he was talking about with a ballot.

I cut him off. "I cannot understand you. Do NOT call again." And he didn't.

Do you have a good story?