OK, you know the drill! It’s dinner time, the phone rings, private call, you wait in suspense while the computer finds the dolt who has been assigned the task of driving you up the wall. I usually make good use of the time by ingesting a baby aspirin and praying it’s Publisher’s Clearing House. Of course, it’s not, and the interpretation of my last name is so garbled it’s beyond repair. A close friend, I figure.

At around the three minute mark he says “ So how are you this evening?”

By now I have so many answers they are coming from different parts of my body. So how am I? Well, I’ll be fine as soon as I get this chicken bone out of my neck you #$#@$% jerk.

Why do they always ask how you are? Everyone of these irritants uses the same line. Is there some marketing strategy that makes this annoying inquiry mandatory?

Maybe it’s the same person disguising his voice over and over.

When I’m finally able to speak, I tell him I’m so glad he called because I can’t wait to tell him about the new line of Amway products that he’s just gonna love.

Click!