So, someone on Ravelry suggested I call the "help line" on my Aggravating Telemarketing and Trying-to-get-me-to-buy-stuff bill.

First, I get an automated voice that says, "Please state in simple terms your problem."


Well, I thought for a moment.

Then I said, "Telemarketers suck!" (I'm sorry, but that's the state of my fed-up-ness).

The automated system responded: "It sounds to me like you are having a problem with unwanted calls."


Oh, there were so very many things I could have said in response to that, but realizing it was just an automated voice, I managed a rather bitten-off "yes" and it transferred me to some Dobby-the-House-Elf type who voiced an apology every other sentence for the unwanted calls. (I imagine he was also boxing himself about the ears as he apologized to me.)

Look, buddy, don't keep apologizing. Just make it so I don't have to put up with the blasted calls any more. ("Wow, they're PERSISTENT" he observed when I told him I had been called every day this week. Obviously the various arms of the corporation don't talk to each other much.)

So he promised to put a note on my account that I was not to be called.

His last remark was "I hope this hasn't soured you on A T and T and will consider our services in the future." There was nothing I wanted to say to that that wasn't either impolite or untrue, so I just thanked him for his help and rang off.

We'll see how this works. If it does, even for just a few months, I'll keep it in mind for the future. (And hope that either Verizon comes into my area, or Chickasaw decides to offer residential service).