Buhner Dot Com Est. 2000, which is like 1947 in Internet years.

Soliciting via insult

So I get a phone call at work. I hate talking on the phone as it is, and I can tell from the caller ID that it's probably going to be a solicitor. I'm still expecting a call from Sony about a laptop repair visit, so I take the call.

[COMPANY NAME], this is Tom.

[Awkward pause] Uh, erm, yes - T... Tom?

Yes.

Yes. This is [LONG CONFUSING NAME THAT SOUNDED LIKE GIBBERISH] with [COMPANY - sounded like "ADC"], we do the printing - er - the manuals for all the printers.

OK.

At this point I know the call is bullshit. We deal either directly with the manufacturer or with one specific local company for any device print/copy/scan related. I know the people at the local company and this ain't them. Anyone from a manufacturer trying to sell me something comes off a hell of a lot more prepared and professional than this chick is. Plus - did she say they printed the manuals for the printers? I'm curious to where this is going.

OK. Yes. I need to tell me what is the kind of your closest printer.

I'm sorry - what? What do you do?

[annoyed] Were you not listening?

I'm just don't think I understood.

What part didn't you understand?

The part where you told me what your company did.

[more annoyed] We print the manuals for all the printers.

I'm sorry - and what company do you work for again?

[speaking tersely] A.D.C. (I think.) I just need to know your nearest printer.

Yeah - she's not getting that. We've got most of the manuals in PDF form somewhere, and those that I don't have I can get direct from the websites. If need be, I can print them because, well, we have printers. It's like a guy offering to poop in your toilet every week - thanks, but I can handle this service myself.

Yeah, I'm sorry - I don't know your company. We deal directly with manufacturers normally, and we don't have use for a company that prints manuals for printers.

[Frustrated] I didn't say we printed man... [loud sigh]... what are you, an idiot? You need to take your finger out of your butt.

And then she hung up. Sadly, this was the most interesting call I've received today.