Content ID:
Field:


  • About Smithsonian
  • Email Updates
  • Member Services
  • Shop
  • Archive
Smithsonian.com
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Smithsonian Channel
  • goSmithsonian
  • Air & Space magazine
  • Home
  • History & Archaeology
  • People & Places
  • Science & Nature
  • Arts & Culture
  • Travel
  • Photos & Videos
  • Games & Puzzles
  • Subscribe
  • Africa & the Middle East
  • Asia Pacific
  • Europe
  • The Americas
  • People & Places

Last Call

Hang-ups are an occupational hazard

  • By Smithsonian magazine
  • Smithsonian magazine, February 2005

Article Tools

 
  • Font
  • Share/Save/Bookmark Share
     
  • Email
  •  
  • Print
  • Digg Digg
     
  • Comments
  • StumbleUpon StumbleUpon
     
  • RSS
  • Reddit Reddit
     

    Most Popular

    • Viewed
    • Emailed
    1. Keepers of the Lost Ark?
    2. Mining the Mountains
    3. Gobekli Tepe: The World’s First Temple?
    4. Frost, Nixon and Me
    5. Gene Therapy in a New Light
    6. The Spotted Owl's New Nemesis
    7. Snowman Gone Wild
    8. Tattoos
    9. Family Ties
    10. Van Gogh's Night Visions
    1. Gene Therapy in a New Light
    2. Mining the Mountains
    3. The Spotted Owl's New Nemesis
    4. Frost, Nixon and Me
    5. Gobekli Tepe: The World’s First Temple?
    6. Smithsonian Notable Books for Children 2008
    7. Lincoln as Commander in Chief
    8. A Monumental Struggle to Preserve Hagia Sophia
    9. The 'Secret Jews' of San Luis Valley
    10. Van Gogh's Night Visions

    Your call is important to us. Please hold, and an operator will be with you shortly. Your call will be answered in the order it was received.

    Your call is important to us. No, really. Calls like yours keep us in business! Please hold, and an operator will be with you as soon as possible. Your call may be monitored for quality assurance.

    Your call is important to us. I know what you're thinking—if my call is so important, why isn't anybody answering? I have no idea. My job is just to record these messages. But please be patient. Don't hang up.

    Your call is important to us. It's especially important to me, an underemployed actor who records these messages. If you hang up, they might hire someone else to tell you how important your call is. I live in fear of being outsourced or replaced by a machine. So please hold for the next available operator.

    Your call is—Stop! Don't hang up. Please. I'm telling you, hang up and you could get me fired. Don't force me back to doing telemarketing and phone sex.

    Your call is important to us. Dial-A-Psychic won't take me back. I had a bad day and predicted disfigurement or unemployment for everyone who called in. Did you know there's a Dial-A-Psychic blacklist? But I've learned my lesson, and I'm trying to pull myself back up again. Don't be the one who ruins it for me. Please hold.

    Your call is important to us. My parole officer says this is my last chance, this piecework for a faceless corporation. Nobody's listening. Nobody cares. Do you really think I could get away with talking like this if they were actually monitoring the calls?

    Your call is important to us. Vitally important. Precious, in fact. I need your call. I need you to hold. Do you hear me?—I need you to hold.

    1 2

    Your call is important to us. Please hold, and an operator will be with you shortly. Your call will be answered in the order it was received.

    Your call is important to us. No, really. Calls like yours keep us in business! Please hold, and an operator will be with you as soon as possible. Your call may be monitored for quality assurance.

    Your call is important to us. I know what you're thinking—if my call is so important, why isn't anybody answering? I have no idea. My job is just to record these messages. But please be patient. Don't hang up.

    Your call is important to us. It's especially important to me, an underemployed actor who records these messages. If you hang up, they might hire someone else to tell you how important your call is. I live in fear of being outsourced or replaced by a machine. So please hold for the next available operator.

    Your call is—Stop! Don't hang up. Please. I'm telling you, hang up and you could get me fired. Don't force me back to doing telemarketing and phone sex.

    Your call is important to us. Dial-A-Psychic won't take me back. I had a bad day and predicted disfigurement or unemployment for everyone who called in. Did you know there's a Dial-A-Psychic blacklist? But I've learned my lesson, and I'm trying to pull myself back up again. Don't be the one who ruins it for me. Please hold.

    Your call is important to us. My parole officer says this is my last chance, this piecework for a faceless corporation. Nobody's listening. Nobody cares. Do you really think I could get away with talking like this if they were actually monitoring the calls?

    Your call is important to us. Vitally important. Precious, in fact. I need your call. I need you to hold. Do you hear me?—I need you to hold.

    Your call is so important. You have no idea. I've been feeling very fragile lately. I've been through a lot. Abuse of every kind, physical, mental, metaphysical. Alcohol, prescription drugs, credit cards, West Nile. I've been blackballed at every casino in Nevada. My library card was revoked. I have nothing to live for, except your call—unless I get that gig recording voice mail announcements.

    Your call is important to us. Thank you for your call. We are open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday. If you are hearing this message, it means we are closed for business. Please call back during regular business hours. Your call is important to us.


     
    Comments

    Post a Comment


    Name: (required)

    Email: (required)

    Comment:



    Advertisement

    Smithsonian Videos

    Turco Gil's Accordion Academy

    Turco Gil operates a school to teach local children how to play vallenato music


    Gene Therapy Experts Look Ahead in Treating Blindness

    Two of the preeminent researchers of gene therapy hope to improve their patients' sight in an experimental operation


    Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life

    Behind the Scenes with Harry Rubenstein At the National Museum of American History


    Inside the Photobooth

    Collector Nakki Goranin leads a tour of her collection


    Star-Spangled Salute

    Re-enactors relive the Battle of Baltimore


    Advertisement

    Culturespotter

    Experience Mexico

    Discover the beauty and splendor of Mexico's natural treasures in our new photo gallery.

    Marketplace

    SmithsonianStore

    Animated Musical Ornaments
    Item no: 97625

    Window Shopping

    Gifts, Gadgets and Great Finds!

    From Our Advertisers: Products, Offers and Free Info

    Travel & Adventure

    Sojourners

    Love to travel? We've collected some of the best offerings from our most valued travel partners, across the country and around the world

    In The Magazine

    Smithsonian Magazine January 2009 Cover

    January 2009

    • Samarra Rises
    • Commander in Chief
    • Winging It
    • Gene Therapy in a New Light
    • The Spotted Owl's New Nemesis

    View Table of Contents



    Wonders of the Deep

    Wonders of the Deep

    The National Museum of Natural History's Ocean Hall illuminates the murky waters of the deep blue sea

    Smithsonian Journeys

    Genghis Khan’s Mongolia
    Genghis Khan’s Mongolia
    A new exciting and active adventure in exotic Mongolia







    View full archiveRecent Issues

    • Smithsonian Magazine January 2009 Cover
      Jan 2009

    • December 2008 Issue Cover
      Dec 2008


    • Nov 2008

    Newsletter

    Sign up for regular email updates from Smithsonian magazine, including free newsletters, special offers and current news updates.

    Subscribe Now

    About Us

    Smithsonian.com expands on Smithsonian magazine's in-depth coverage of history, science, nature, the arts, travel, world culture and technology. Join us regularly as we take a dynamic and interactive approach to exploring modern and historic perspectives on the arts, sciences, nature, world culture and travel, including videos, blogs and a reader forum.

    Explore our Brands

    • goSmithsonian.com
    • Smithsonian Air & Space Museum
    • Smithsonian Institution
    • Smithsonian Catalogue
    • Smithsonian Journeys
    • Smithsonian Channel
    • Site Map
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • About Smithsonian
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising
    • Reader Panel
    • Subscribe
    • RSS

    Smithsonian Institution

    Produced by Clickability