NOTHING is more frustrating than to be on a telephone call where you are constantly asked to “press 1 or 2”. I am getting to the point of not using certain companies rather than get caught on their, “if you need ….., press 1; if you want ——-, press 2 and sometimes, “if you ——, press 3.” After you press the correct number, you are again taken on the merry-go-round of, “if you want ——-, press 1….or whatever. This is very frustrating, however, because of today’s technology, there is no getting away from these annoying experiences.
When you finally are rung through, you get another round of the same. If you manage to reach the number, you are told that your wait time is two minutes. Finally, eight minutes later you are greeted by someone who needs to know which department you want. Then you are subjected to one or two more rounds of “waiting”. Sometimes, in frustration, you simply hang up. Occasionally, however, that is not the best thing to do. It is often NECESSARY to speak to certain company officials. After wasting a half hour with little results, I resolve not to use that company again…..and I am strong-willed enough to do exactly that.
At 85, I am aware that whoever I am calling can tell that I am an ‘older person’. The quaver in my voice makes them aware of this. I thought the quaver was caused by age but a neurologist told me it was caused by Parkinson’s disease, which I have had a few years. I have learned to eat and write with my left hand. It is almost entertaining to try to spread butter on toast. I am, however, not a giver-upper.
Too many have decided that ‘age’ and ‘stupid’ mean the same and this REALLY ticks me off! One can be stupid at 20 or 30 OR one can still be clicking along at 70 or 80. I am blessed; I enjoy good health; I am mobile; I do whatever is necessary for me. I prepare my food, do my laundry, fill and empty the dishwasher and take care of a 4-months old kitten. I have not “lost it” yet; when I realize that I must, I will make other arrangements. Until then, treat me as a person, not as a ‘throw-away’. When I reach that point, it is likely that I won’t be calling anyone.
Yes, I move slower, simply because I don’t want to fall. Yes, my hair is silver AND I LIKE IT !! There can be many negatives about growing older but there can also be several pluses. Each week I continue to read five books from the library . I watch only world and local news. I choose to be aware of what is happening in the world around me. At my age I can likely tell what the weather will be. I have already lived the ‘soap operas’ so I don’t want to go back there. If I am ‘addicted’ to anything, it is to reading rather than the television.
As I ‘take care of business’, however, those blasted ‘waiting’ phone calls happen occasionally. I don’t have time to waste on the phone; I want to do whatever is necessary and get off the phone. Either I must develop more patience or choose other areas less stressful. You would think the patience I grew while raising five children would be enough for anything, right? We had no idea of the coming technologies, so maybe we under-estimated the ‘waiting’ that was needed to survive in this dot-com world.
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