Please!!! – do not call

The age of the home phone is dead. Just like 90% of the western population, I carry my phone with me everywhere, all the time. I have my phone number, my hubs has his. And every sales person in the world has both our numbers. There’s this thing called the “Do Not Call List” you can opt in that our government started, but like almost every government initiative it went off the rails. This is how WE think it works: ABC Co calls and bugs you, you go to donotcall.gov, report ABC Co., and ABC Co. no longer calls you. Here’s how it actually works: you do exactly as instructed above, HOWEVER – the government sends the Do Not Call List to every company on that list and now ALL the companies have ALL the names and phone numbers on that list. They just increased their possible contacts thanks to our tax dollars and our government.

Early this week I got a “verified caller” so I reluctantly answered my phone. It was from Ms Verystrongaccent with the United States Department of Energy. WHAT? She wanted me to know our government was offering tax credits for homeowners to install solar panels. I started laughing and said we don’t have any money and ended the call. Every day since Ms Verystrongaccent has called 5 times a day. Today, after her 3rd call, I called her back. When she answered she said, “hello Kelly.” Somehow this had become personal to Ms Verystrongaccent. And this is what I said:

Me: Can you do me a favor?
Her: Yes. What?
Me: You’re with the Department of Energy?
Her: Yes.
Me: Here’s the deal. Your boss has made us poor. It’s laughable to even think about solar panels when we’re simply trying to live day by day with the economy joe has produced. So it is completely futile for you to call me 5-6 times a day to offer me a tax credit for an item I can’t afford no matter the discounts or incentives. So could you PLEASE stop calling me???!
Her: Yes. I will update our system.

I bet she put me on the Do Not Call List.