tediousness.

You know what one of my favorite things at work is?  I just LOVE when a dim-witted person-- usually trailing great swags of malapropisms-- treats me like a moron.  I know that probably reads as sarcasm, but I'm completely serious. 

You see, we have a policy of resolving the issue the caller has on the first call in.  This just makes good sense, and if I were running the show, I'd admantly hold with just such a policy-- it's the only way to give good service. 

Tuesday a man called up and asked my name.  I told him "Rita" and he said "Well, Rina..."   He sputtered about a bit and I finally was able to divine through the tangle of incomplete sentences what he was trying to achieve with the call.  My gut told me that the answer to this riddle would be found in the notes of my colleagues who spoke with him earlier. 

"Bear with me, sir" I said so I could read the notes, at which he immediately launched into another harangue, not allowing me a moment to think clearly.  I sat silently, listening to him and then I asked him to bear with me again.  I gave him the answer to his (sort of) question, which was apparently Not What He Wanted To Hear.  I did not mince words, but suggested a resolution which to me made sense, even though it would mean I'd be spending the better portion of the next hour engineering a good outcome for the customer.

He then said "meaning you no disrespect, Rina, but I'd like to talk to Julia on this subject again, because I think she will be able to speak intelligently on this matter."

I was more than happy for him to get his happy ending elsewhere-- I was utterly off the hook.  By all means.  Find someone smarter than me. :)  Break my heart.  Heigh ho!