Telecommuting Tuesday

Just got a call from a little old lady that totally bummed me out.

Technical Support, this is Joey. How can I help you?

"I think I have the wrong number, is this 1-800-###-4357?"

Could be, we have a lot of 800 numbers that come into us. This is *Company name Technical Support, who are you looking for?

In the saddest little old lady voice she says, "Suicide Hot line?".

Oh I'm sorry, our numbers are very close, hang on (I totally paused a second here thinking - literally hold on lady, put the gun down, it will be OK) for me a second and I'll get you the correct number.

Fumbling all over our website with the number...wanting to say something to her...making sure to be super nice and sweet and caring all through a phone. I find the number, clearly speak every number as if it's the secret code to disarm the bomb she's holding.
1 - 3_1_4 - #_#_# - 4_3_5_7.

"Oh I dialed 1-800, so it's 314?"

Yeah, 314...

Why are they making people call long distance to get help? That's so retarded. I know it's just one of the many suicide hot lines but seriously? Of course, at that moment of helplessness I couldn't think of the standard and probably most well known 1-800-SUICIDE.

"OK, Thank you"

I almost said have a good night, but corrected myself before speaking and said, Take care.

It makes me horribly sad to wonder whether the hassle was too much and she just decided to end it all.

I'm totally bummed out.