So, yesterday, we were having a rather difficult day with one of my kids. She was feeling sad about her grandparents going home to another state after visiting for several days. She displayed this by flipping out about everything, things like me not giving her the answers to her homework (it’s not MY homework. It’s HERS. I will do no more than helping her figure it out on her own, but that’s not what she wanted). So, she was flipping out about that and it just got out of control. She was screaming, as though she was possessed. You would have to actually see this to understand the full extent of what she does. You would probably be shocked.

Needless to say, I was losing my sanity quickly. There were other things going on in the house with the other kids too, since I think the noises coming out of this child were causing everyone to lose their sanity to some extent.

Then the phone rings. I don’t like the phone a whole lot, even when it is a friend (no offense, friends). But I could tell from the caller ID that it was a telemarketer. Not only that, but it is right at dinner time, which also drives me nuts about telemarketers. So I answer the phone somewhat rudely from the start:
Me: “Hello?!”
Guy on the phone: (in jumbled English…) “Is this Mrs. Kendra Evans”?
I am even more annoyed now. My name has not been “Evans” for 5 and a half years! My phone number has been unlisted for 3 years, and I was put on the “do not call” list before that.
Me: (rudely) “Put me on your “do not call” list”!
Guy on the phone: “Is this Mrs. Evans”?
Me: (nearly yelling) “Put me on your do not call list”!!
Guy on the phone: “But ma’am, I need to know if –“
Me: “NO!! Do not call me!”
Guy on the phone: “Why?”
Is he serious? Clearly, he is not dealing with a stable person on the phone. Did he really just ask me why, when I seem to have stated my position so clearly already?
Me: (full blown yelling at this point) "BECAUSE I DON’T WANT YOU TO FRICKIN’ CALL ME!!! I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU! DON’T CALL!!!"

The guy on the phone seems to have hung up on me.

Meanwhile, Tony had been trying to get my daughter to calm down, or at least stop screaming. He comes out of her room, and asks what happened, since he heard me yelling. I said “A frickin’ telemarketer called!”. The look on his face was priceless when he realized that I had been yelling at a telemarketer. Shocked/amused/understanding.

So, I don’t think that guy is going to call back.

Several telemarketers have called since then. (Aarrgghh!!!!! *banging head against the wall* where are they getting my number???) I have managed to get my point across to them without yelling. I just interrupt, and firmly tell them not to call me. I think I hurt someone’s feelings this morning. But at least I didn’t yell…