The same ‘hold’ story 30.01.09
YOU know I don’t think it
should come as a great surprise to learn that when it
comes to call waiting, I just am not a fan at all. You
see as they try to jazz up phones with all sorts of new
gadgetry I reckon call waiting has completely gotten out
of hand.
Many years ago when it was first introduced, I know some
people who thought it was the best thing since sliced
bread. By the way did you ever wonder what people used
for that saying before sliced bread was invented?
Anyway having been cut off mid conversation last week by
a person whose call waiting clicked in, I've decided
that call waiting is technology we just don't need.
You see at one stage there was a wee click on the line
and you knew another caller was trying to contact you,
now it seems that people can't ignore that click at all.
Which, I'd have to say, is more than a little annoying
for the person on the line in the first place. |
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Personally I'm not all that
fussed about being contactable all the time, but I'm
wondering is it curiosity about who could possibly be on
the other line is what excites us?
I mean it could be somebody from the prize bonds to tell
you you've won a fortune, and you wouldn't want to miss
that.
And so you interrupt you call and see who is on the
other side, but does that mean you have to announce it?
By this stage we all pretty much know what the call
waiting sounds like so why do we have to be told by
people "Ooh! That's my Call Waiting, Liam. Can you hold
on a second?"
And of course, when anyone asks that question, "Can you
hold on a second?" you don't have a choice because it's
totally rhetorical!
By the time you want to respond, “No, I don't want to
wait a second, you moron,” the moron has already
switched to the other line.
Also, some people's idea of ‘a second’ is longer than
others.
For some people ‘a second’ is not one second. In fact
scientists have roughly averaged the measurement of ‘a
second’ to around 700 seconds, give or take a day. “" is
never one minute. A minit is roughly one day, give or
take a week.
Next time somebody says they're going to put you on hold
for a minit, hang up immediately and call back to be
given the same priority that the third party intruder
received.
Sometimes the conversing parties will hear the
"Dual-click." The Dual-click is when both parties
definitely hear a click, but neither knows whose phone
it originated from. It can get complicated figuring out
whose phone is clicking.
"So there I was minding my own business and out of
nowhere some total stranger tried to start up a
conversation with me. Can you believe that?...Was that
you or me? You check, but I'll check too."
Both try to answer the other line, but only one is
successful. The other one is left switching lines,
wondering what happened to their ‘friend.’ |
It would be a lot more
bearable if the phone companies allowed us to eavesdrop
on the caller who has interrupted your call. You could
even irritate them with all sorts of noises from the
pressing of buttons on the keypad.
To be honest I'd much rather prefer that old ‘engaged’
tone a firm, commanding and to the point message that
the person you are calling is already busy.
Call back later don't be trying to interrupt them now!
Unless of course you happen to be calling them from the
prize bonds office that is… |
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A DROP OF
PORTER is
the weekly
column of
Inishowen
Independent
editor,
Liam Porter. |
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