One of the strangest awkward moments that I encounter while I’m working is the Awkward Domestic Dispute.
Sometimes if I’m helping out a customer via phone, they’ll be calling amist an epic fight with their spouse or children, and I get to sit there and listen in. It’s incredibly strange and off-putting while still being enjoyably funny. I was recently talking with a guy whose demeanor didn’t seem to match his surroundings at all. He was incredibly serene, and in the background I could clearly hear what I assumed to be his wife and daughter having the battle of a lifetime. As I was asking the guy about what sort of test he wanted to take, this is what I heard:
Daughter: “RRRRGHGHGH!! I hate you, Mom!”
Mom: “Dear Lord, I can’t take another moment like this!”
Daughter: “Leave me alone! I swear to god I want to kill you!!!”
Mom: “Fine, just stay in your room all night! I don’t care anymore!!!”
I get uncomfortable listening to this in the background, but the dad is on the phone with me speaking slowly and calmly about his Microsoft exam. This is the fathering model that I hope to follow. I would like to be completely detached from the rest of my family and unconnected to parenting in any meaningful way. Maybe I could wander aimlessly through the house with glazed eyes every now and again. Perhaps I would even silently nod to my children. Physical touch would be reserved exclusively for birthdays or major holidays. I would hope to avoid contact until after they are 18, and then only with my sons, who would be named Richard and Dennis.
I’m learning a lot on this job, there can be no doubt of that. I will almost certainly be the greatest father of all time.
THe following was overheard when i worked at American Express speaking with a miner from Virginia:
“B****, i told you to get back in the kitchen.” Sad, and unfortunately, true.
I remember this one call I had where this kid was whining to her mom (DANB call) and she siad, “Hold on one.”
*WHAM*
*WHAM*
*WHAM*
*WHAM*
Child: WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom: SHUT UP!!!!
*picks phone up*
Mom: Do you have any Saturdays?
I used to work at NordicTrack out there in your home town of Chaska, and we were required to try and sell people a Nordictrack, when they called in to request the Free Brochure, and video. Of course for some of us who really didn’t want to sell anything they had provided us with a script that we had to read, that would take about 5 minutes, hit all 15 of the main selling points, and ask for the sale 3 times before we would finally say “Ok, I’ll send you the Brochure, and video”
It was one of the most moral wrecking jobs I’ve ever had. We often would over hear all kinds of things in the background. I got so good and reciting the Schpeal that I could actually listen and follow along with the background conversations, or Television shows. However I think the worst thing was when I could tell the person I was scripting, had set the phone down and walked away. We were often monitored to make sure we were hitting all 15 points, so I would have to go on talking to nobody. It was such an Awkward feeling, that I just had to share.
One time I had to make a call and there was all kinds of stuff going on in the background. It was crazy!
mike- that was our house, it always sounded like that
I have doctor’s offices that call in and you would think, ” hey they’re professionals” apparently that does not make a difference. i’ve heard doctors yell at nurses while they are talking to me and make them cry.