Dumb people piss me off.
Maybe I’ve got a short fuse because I’m at the edge of a much-needed holiday. It could be I’m on edge because I’m traveling for nearly 24 hours next week as we head back to the US. And even Jacqui has been commenting on how grumpy I’ve been lately. I don’t know.
Today, I took a phone call that sums the frustration I feel lately all up in a short story.
The phone rang (as it does) and Jacqui was on the other phone line. I answered, in my polite tone: “The National School of Aesthetics. Good afternoon. How can I help you?” I got back a woman asking, “Is this Celtine?”
I felt like saying, “Did I say, ‘Celtine. Good afternoon. How can I help you, you dipshit?” but I bit my tongue as I try to so often do. Instead, I said, “No, I’m sorry, this is the National School of Aesthetics.”
“Oh,” she responded. “I wanted Celtine.”
Just a wee break. For those of you who don’t know who Celtine is, they are a supplier of beds, equipment and beauty therapy product lines for the beauty therapy industry. A relatively huge product house in Auckland running for over 20 years. Yes, Auckland, as in near the North-West part of the North Island. Not Christchurch, as in the mid-Eastern part of the South Island.
Back to the story:
“You mean the supplier? Like Matis, Babor, that Celtine?” I was just making sure.
“Yeah, that’s right,” the lady responded gingerly.
She was lucky I am such a nice guy. “If you hold the line, I’ll find their number for you.”
My hand reached back and grabbed a recent copy of the BeautyNZ magazine, found their advert, and then read her the details. A thought crossed my mind though. Some companies won’t let you call a toll-free (0800) number from within the same area code, so I asked her, “Are you in Auckland?”
“Yes,” came the response.
So I gave her the Auckland number.
Now, this is why I think this woman is an absolute fuckwit.
- Auckland and Christchurch are totally different cities on totally different New Zealand islands.
- You dial (03) to get Christchurch. She is in area code (09) and wouldn’t have to dial that to get an Auckland number.
- Celtine and National School of Aesthetics aren’t even close to the same name. As school would imply, we’re a school, not a supplier.
- We aren’t even listed in the Auckland Yellow Pages, so God knows where she got our number from.
- Even if you compared our phone numbers, they aren’t even close. Celtine starts with (09) 528 and ours starts with (03) 366.
I just am frustrated with people not paying attention or not following through or not reading and then expecting the rest of us to help them along when everything goes to shit (which is more often than not). You’re a big girl now. Go out and act like a big girl.
(Another thing not helping is that we are trying to get a new Prospectus printing quote from two companies to, obviously, print our Prospectus for 2008. We gave these companies the same specs: 10 pages internally with a cover. Not very difficult to work out. One company, who shall remain nameless, has quoted us for 12 pages. I wrote back saying that we didn’t say 12 pages with a cover, but 10 pages. The company wrote back with apologies and gave us a quote… for 8 pages with a cover. See what I mean?)
A few days ago, a university professor and researcher stated that we need to encourage more intelligent people (in New Zealand, and perhaps the world) to have more children to balance things out. As things stand, according to this professor, the idiots are having more children than the intelligent people, which, in turn, leads to more idiots being around, endangering everyone. And, in a way, I can understand his argument. I’m not saying I’m the brightest bulb in the bunch, but I sure as hell can figure out that 10 pages mean 10 pages and that dialing (03) 366-5037 will not get me Celtine in Auckland.
Deep breaths. Deep breaths!
Okay. I feel better now. Thanks for listening to my rant!
Beam Me Up, Scotty 