To Answer or Not?

It’s 10:56 am on Wednesday morning. The phone rings. Caller ID reveals it’s Taste of Home cooking magazine.

Slightly panicking.

I think I’ve been receiving Taste of Home for a year now without paying.

Deep breath. And after a brief moment of visualizing I’m incarcerated for not paying this debt, I answer.

Hello.

“Hello. Mrs. Key-on-nae Please.”

This is.

Why bother correcting the gross mispronunciation of our name—especially if I’m off to the Slammer anyway.

“Yes. Hello. This is Janesha from Taste of Home. I’m calling from Greenville, North Carolina, where it’s sunny and beautiful today.”

Okay.

So far so good.

“How’s the weather where you are?”

Um, it’s nice.

“What’s the temperature today?”

Uh, in the 80’s.

What? The weather?

“Well the reason I’m calling…”

Oh, not to talk about the weather?

“..you are one of our most loyal customers,”

Phew. I’m a loyal customer, not a criminal.

“and we would like to offer you Taste of Home magazine for $1.57 each subscription.”

And there it is. The pitch.

“That’s $1.57 each.”

Got that, $1.57 each.

“And you don’t have to pay now. We will bill you later. So can I have your permission to send this out right now?”

No. I’m good. But thanks.

“Alright Mrs. Key-on-nae. You have a great day.”

Bye. And Aloha to you too.

It’s KEANE. We are not Hawaiian.  But that might explain Janesha’s weather curiosity.

I’m thankful for Caller ID, and in this case, I’m thankful I answered.  Orange just isn’t my color.  However, my recipe collection might be slim pickings for a while.