How emotional are tele-sales people? The answer is that they are too emotional. They can cry at the other end of the phone, if you want them to do so. They can sympathize and empathize as well. Something like that happened with me.

The phone kept on ringing so early in the morning and an unknown number that the phone displayed on its delicate screen with illumination and background music claimed its responsibility. When I realized that ignoring a phone call can’t be ignored any further, I picked up the call and made a snake-long ‘hello’ weirdly skewed by a wake-up yawn!

‘Hello Sir, Good Morning! Am I speaking to Mr Santosh?’

‘Yes, you are speaking to me’

‘Sir I’m Pooja, calling from YCYCY bank. Can I speak to you for 2 minutes?’, she told me meekly.

‘See, I have not yet got up from my bed... could you call me up a little later?’

‘But Sir, I’ll take only 2 minutes… and this is to inform you about a new Credit card we have launched in the market’

I did not say anything.

‘Sir, this is a special credit card from our bank. We have launched this product 2 months back and it’s only meant for esteemed customers like you’

‘What did you say?’, I was waiting for an opportunity.

'Sir, this card is only meant for esteemed customers like you’ She repeated the last sentence.

'No.. not that.. I heard something you said about launching the card’ There was a chance for me.

‘Yes sir, that we have launched this card 2 months back’ she said confidently.

‘You said WHEN? ’ I got the curious tone.

‘2 months back, Sir’ she became slightly impatient that that ‘Sir’ was a bit loud.

‘And you are telling me now??’ The plate got turned.

‘What sir? I did not understand’ There was no clue for her.

‘You had launched such a great product, you knew that I was an esteemed customer, and you are telling me after 2 months??’ Melancholy added flavor to my words.

‘You tell me something…. will you go for a wedding for which you are not invited?’ There was no gap for her to talk.

‘No sir.. but..’ She wasn’t getting the issue.

‘Yeah, you won’t… this is something like that… you should have told me earlier!!’

‘Sir.. we are sorry..’

‘No ma’m, I’m utterly disappointed… you have spoiled my mood for the day..’ That was touching.

Sorry sir.. we didn’t intend to hurt you like this…’ Her heart must have melted.

‘Ok.. do one thing, you keep the phone.. let me sleep for some more time… I’ll be alright…’

‘Ok sir.. sorry once again..’ She was very humane.

‘Don’t bother… tell them not to call me again…I’m pissed off with your bank..’ That was really effective.

‘Sure sir… don’t worry, thank you’

‘Ohh thanks’

I couldn’t sleep anymore, as I wanted to tell this to at least one person. That day I had a great laugh.

Sure, someday someone will write a book on how to discourage tele-callers from calling meddling into our lives. Perhaps this one would get a commendable place among the ideas.