Who You Gonna Call??!!!

Why is it that when a receptionist is on the phone it is deemed "okay" to stand over top of her and listen in on the conversation? In what way is this ever found to be appropriate? I'm on a phone call (yes it was a personal one - but it was about a bill for $80!) when one of my many bosses stands over me. I am trying to finish my conversation up with Ben, the overhelpful insurance guy when a hand is waved in my face "mint, please," he whispers. And as I struggle to accommodate his minty wishes, I can't hear what Ben is saying. "What?!" I say to ben as I rummage through the drawer of goodies "We already paid that claim!" he shouts in my ear. Great, now he thinks I'm dumb and deaf. I pass off the mint and get off the phone. Now, I must call the dentist - to which we also paid $80. This is gonna be fun.

Oh - and here's one to add to my Confounding Conversations - I spent 20 minutes with an Automated Operator last night trying to get to my Insurance info:

"SAY 'MEMBER' IF YOU ARE A MEMBER."

"Member."

"SAY YOUR EIGHT DIGIT GROUP IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, STARTING WITH THE LETTER, OR 'I DON'T KNOW'."

"U1234567"

"SORRY, I DIDN'T GET THAT."

"U1234567!"

"SORRY, PLEASE SAY YOUR EIGHT DIGIT GROUP IDENTIFICATION NUMBER STARTING WITH THE LETTER, OR 'I DON'T KNOW'."

"I don't know. I don't know. I don't know!!!"

This was when the Automated Operator hung up on me.

So I did what any American would do, I called back.

Finally, I navigated the slippery menu and made it to the end.

"PLEASE SAY 'ASSOCIATE' IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK- "

"Associate!"

"OUR NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS ARE FROM EIGHT AM TO SIX PM. PLEASE CALL BACK. THANK YOU."

Then I got hung up on - again.