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OPINION
COLUMN “Here’s a Thought.”
Nan
DeVincent-Hayes
Computer Word count without headings/blurb: 543 Phone-E-quette I hate when kids answer the phone. Sometimes I’m graced with a
“hello”; usually it’s a: “Yeah?” “Is your mother in?” “I dunno.” How can children not know if their parents aren’t in? “Are you the only one home? Is there someone I can tal -“ ”No.” “No what?” “No. I ain’t the only one home.” “Then is your dad home?” “He’s in the bathroom,” That was more information than I cared to know. “Would you please
leave him or your mother a message?” “Jist call back.” “I won’t be here to call back.” Silence. I try again. “Please tell your mother and father that the neighborhood
meeting has been changed from tomorrow night to -“ ”Wait ‘til I get a pencil.” “No, look, it’s simple. Just tell them to go to the hall Thursday
instead of tomorrow.” “Okay.” “Could you read the message back to me please?” “No.” “No? No you can’t or you won’t?” “Yeah.” “‘Yeah’ what?” I should have sent e-mail instead. I hear a
toilet flush in the background. With hope, I ask, “Is you father
available now?” “He’s still in there.” “Then please make sure to give your parents the message, okay?” “Right, tell them to go to hell Thursday instead of tomorrow.” “No No! Hall, I said.” “What was it again?” “The message? You want me to repeat it?” Maybe I should have just
gone to their home;
“You want my parents to go to a meeting tomorrow.” “I want them to get Thursday. Thursday! Why don’t you just
write down my name and number?” I give him both. “Will you please
relay the info back to me...my name and number?” “Which?” I know the kid can tell that I’m losing my patience. “So like you want me to give you back your number? I dint’ write it
down.” “Never mind. I’ll get them some way or another.” “Wait! Heeeeeeeey, Maaaaaaaaam!” Your mother’s been there all along?” I can never understand why parents don’t teach their children how to
answer the phone, speak properly, politely, and clearly into the
mouthpiece, and to write down all messages, even if from
relatives. Today’s youth don’t even speak proper grammar on the phone; neither
do many adults. I hate when I ask, “Is Joan there” and the other
person says, “This is me” or “this is her.”
It should be: “This is she.” But given that a lot of
people get that wrong, there remains no reason callers and receivers
can’t at least act dignified on the phone. Just as bad as an
ill-mannered receiver, is a poorly bred caller. Caller: “Is Tom in?” Not, “Hello, how are you? May I please speak
to Tom” but just, “Tom in?” Here’s a thought: Let’s
teach our children how to behave properly on the phone either as a
caller or receiver. Better still, let’s model the right behavior for
them. If children are old enough to call or answer a phone, then they
should be old enough to demonstrate some decorum in using it. When my
daughters were younger, we used to have “play-role” sessions on
the phone. I think they learned the point. Funny thing, though, I called my daughter the other day and she
answered, “Yeah?” Maybe it was the caller I.D. thing.
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