MetaChat - The lighter side of my father's death (not TOO creepy)

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19 April 2011

The lighter side of my father's death (not TOO creepy) Going through my father's stuff this week, I have seen so many examples of his weakness for crappy products, questionable charities and the Old Hard Sell.→[More:] Then today, while in his old apartment, I have TWICE received obnoxious telemarketing calls that started with a 30-45 second spiel without taking a breath. Both times, the moment I could get a word in edgewise, I said "I'm sorry, the person you wish to speak to is deceased; I am his next of kin and I'm expecting a call from the mortuary handling his funeral, so I can't speak to you right now. Good bye!"

I must admit that by the end of the second call, I felt so proud of myself for mindfucking with the telemarketers with the TRUTH, the closing "Good bye!" probably sounded unnaturally cheerful. I consider it one of Life's Little Victories.

So what have you done lately to mindfuck the Forces of Evilness?

post by: oneswellfoop at: 20:10 | 11 comments

oops... meant to [more inside]; mods please...

posted by oneswellfoop 19 April | 20:28

Big hugs dude.

posted by arse_hat 20 April | 00:24

I've been worrying about you. Thanks for the laugh!

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 20 April | 00:35

Good one.

I think I knuckle under to the forces of evilness far too often.

posted by fleacircus 20 April | 02:46

My father used to tell the telemarketers that he was interested, but couldn't talk right now. They would eagerly offer to call back. "Oh, you can't call me back," he would say. Why not? "I don't have a phone." And then he'd hang up.

posted by JanetLand 20 April | 05:38

LOL @ JanetLand! Hugs to oneswellfoop.

posted by chewatadistance 20 April | 06:37

One of the most fun things about cleaning out my dad's house after he died was finding all the ridiculous monikers he had invented for junk mail people. Most of which were wonderfully terrible, not politically correct, and often obscene puns.

On the other hand, I sure miss my dad and his evil sense of humor. He was a lot of fun in addition to being a great dad. All my best to you, oneswellfoop.

posted by bearwife 20 April | 11:45

I hear you, foop. I derived odd satisfaction repelling telemarketers and cold callers on his business line in the weeks after my father's death. I wasn't half as delicate as you're being; they'd ask "Can I speak to" him (mispronouncing his first name, last name, or both) and I'd crisply say "No, you can't. He's dead."

Most of them hung up CLICK. A few said a cursory "I'm sorry." A slick few didn't skip a beat, launched right into trying to sell to me.

It's funny the stuff that warms us up in these times. Take care of you.

posted by Elsa 20 April | 16:55

Look how well you're doing, coping with grief, loss, stuff, and telemarketers. I just plain hang up on them. I'm sorry that some people are so desperate they need the job, so I don't yell at them, but I waste zero time on them.

posted by theora55 20 April | 17:10

My father was not known to anyone for his humor (he always wondered how he got such a funny son... I think that's what he said), but rather for his love of boats and boating. When he had his say in decorating, it would include something nautical. But one of the largest pictures on the walls of his apartment (which WILL find a place on a wall of mine) is a print of this.
≡ Click to see image ≡
A cranky old boater, but with a sense of humor. That's how I intend to remember him.

posted by oneswellfoop 21 April | 01:03

Hugs, foop.

posted by toastedbeagle 21 April | 21:54

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