Someone has been calling my mobile and home persistently for the last few days.

I kept getting this Missed Call Alert SMS with the same number. Erm… I didn’t return the call… cos I couldn’t find a name to the number in my PDA. And my friends would usually SMS me if my phone isn’t switched on.

The more polite ones would type “You’re sleeping ah? Can you please call me back? Thanks.” Some even have a smiley behind.

The others would key in “Pig! It’s already ____ (usually late afternoon). Still sleeping ah?! Wah Biang (or some other exclamation)”

Dasmond usually just sends a “OEI!”

Anyway, I don’t like to answer calls/ return calls with unfamiliar numbers.

There was this girl who called and asked for me. I said, yeah it’s me. She gave a loud shriek and hanged up! What the …. I’m guessing this is someone I don’t know, but she happens to knows me.. And I assume she probably got the number in an unauthorized manner and wanted to verify if it’s correct. Good thing she didn’t call me again. But then, I’ve been getting Xmas and New Year greetings from unfamiliar numbers from then on. Erm, not only do I not answer strange calls, I don’t reply SMSes from unidentified sources. =)

By the way, if you’ve got my number via some funny/ unorthodox way, please DO NOT call or SMS me. Much as I would like to live up to the “Friendliest” title, I don’t think this is the most appropriate way. Thanks. Here’s another =)

Okie, back to the story on that someone who kept calling me. The last attempt was at 9am. Hah! This person is obviously a stranger. All my friends and colleagues, know better than to call me at that hour. They either get an automated voice telling them that “The subscriber they’ve just called is not available”, or a very irritated Cruz Teng moaning (not easy to shout when you’ just wake right?) “What do you want?!”. The luckier ones get a concussed Cruz Teng, “Huh? What? Huh? Ya? Erm. Huh?”

To check out this person’s identity, I got Jan to call that number and pretended to look for someone… It turned out to be XXX Bank!

Whoa! I received plenty of calls from this bank.

A: “Sir, I notice you haven’t been using our credit line since you applied for it last year.”
Me (coldly): “I didn’t apply for it. Your bank just happily sent me the cheque book.”
A: “Oh, I see. May I know why you haven’t been using it, Sir?”
Me: “Because I don’t need to.”
A: “I see. Sir, our bank offers very attractive interest rates now. If you use our credit line, you can enjoy preferential rates.”
Me: “Ya, but I don’t need extra cash.”
A: “I see. But sir, now our bank offers very attractive interest rates…”
Me (hastily): “I’m in a meeting now… We’ll talk another time.”
A: “I see.Thank you for your time, Sir.”

What are these people doing?!! Why do they always tell me they see, they see? What do they actually see?

In any case, can they stop seeing, and try listening instead?

I don’t need cash! Why are they forcing me to borrow money?!

Speaking about banks, a telemarketing person from C___ Bank called me last week to offer yet another of their credit cards. For what?! I just applied for one from the same bank… you give me another one for what?!

But…I decided to take up that offer since that card has some really cool benefits. *Contradiction at its best*
Yeah, Liyi and I were paid to talk about the card when it was launched last year. We both wanted to sign up but were to lazy to fill up form, zap IC, zap payslip, etc… Since this lady was offering it to me, minus all the paper work, why not?

To my horror, she tried to pester me to apply for their credit line next.

She: “Sir, would you like to take up our credit line as well? It’s free for the 1st year.”
Me: “Erm, no need. I already have a credit line.”
She: “Ya, but ours is free for the 1st year.”
Me: “Ya. But I already have one. Anway, I never also use.”
She: “I see. (Cruz: See! They always tell me they see! See what?!) Ours is free for the 1st year. Would you like to sign up?”
Me: “Huh?! No need lah. I take the card can already. I don’t need extra cash.”
She: “Sir, but there’s no harm in taking up, you see. Cos it’s free for the 1st year.”
Me: “You got commission is it?”
She: “Erm… Yes…”
Me: “Oh, pls send me the forms then.”
She: “Oh, thank you sir! I’ll fax you the forms right away.”

No harm doing a good deed a day, but then again, what is it with these people?! Why do they keep pestering me with credit lines?

Cool, the next time someone from a bank calls, I can tell that person I have TWO credit lines. I’m going to tekan them if they try to convince me to take up a 3rd credit line. Why in the world would a 25yo person need 3 credit lines?!

Bank telemarketers pale in comparison to this girl who called me from a renowned gift hamper company.

She’s the first to hang up on me.

She: “Hi, Mr Teng. I would like to check if you have received our CNY catalogue.”
Me: “Nope.”
She: “Is there any thing you will like to order?”
Me: (Huh? Never see catalogue how to order?) “No.”
She: “Thank you, Sir. Bye.” (click)
Me: “Hello?”

That’s not the best part.

Telemarkter from the same renowned gift hamper company:
“Hi, Mr ___ , This is ___ calling from ___ Company. We would like to check if you have received our latest catalogue and if you would like to order anything.”

My friend: “….. You call me for what?! Do you know I work in this company too?!”

Possibly Related posts:

1. One more person to call me Uncle Cruz
2. I repeat. Do not call me Melody.
3. DO NOT call me Melody.
4. Waking Up isn’t easy
5. I won’t be in town for Xmas this year.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2005 at 2:29 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.