This is going to be a multi-part-er, I can just feel it.

I literally just hung up the telephone and am still giggling, so I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible. I've been a little less than motivated today. It's Monday, and I'm really having a slow start. So I convinced myself that if I made telephone calls to potential sources for an upcoming story, I can do something a little more enjoyable. I only made it through the first call and look where I am!


Today's call:

I dial.

A man answers the telephone: "Business Name"

Me: "May I speak to Sue?" (I've interviewed her before and was pretty confident about getting this one on the first try.)

Him: "Nope"

Long pause...I'm thinking, she was the business owner last time I called. Did she sell it? Did she die? What's going on?

Me: "Okaaaaaaaay"

Him: "She's not here today."

Me: "Can I leave a message? No, never mind. I'll just call back tomorrow."


I probably will call back tomorrow, unless by some stroke of amazing luck I get all of the interviews I need today. Then I'd be out buying lottery tickets tomorrow, because that almost never happens. I'm calling back because I already have a relationship with Sue, so I know she's a pretty professional chick with a good business. I'm not calling back because I happen to like her staff.

Rather than answering "nope" in response to my query, maybe this guy could've tried: "Sue isn't in today. Is there something I can help you with?"

I'd like to think that's how my employees would respond. In fact, that's how I'd train my employees to respond. Telephone training is silly, but I've seen its results. It prevents blog entries like this.