A couple weeks ago, I received a call from my ISP on my cellphone while I was analyzing a very important report at work. It was a young guy on the line and asked me if I was at home,
Me : “I’m sorry, but I am at work now. Just like you, earning a living to pay bills. Anything?”
Bloke : “Oh nothing Mr. Ooi, just wanted to check your router’s serial number, which you purchased from us 3 years ago”
Me : “I’m not going to be at home just for that. Why don’t you send me an email instead, I’ll just check and mail you the serial number tonight?”
Bloke : “Ok Mr. Ooi, I will do that, thanks”
And he hung up. A few days went by, no email. Then a lady called me on my cellphone to ask for the same thing, again, when I was busy saving the world at work. Like what I told the previous guy, I told the lady that I’m at work and I don’t conveniently carry my router’s serial number everywhere I go.
Me : “A few days ago, a bloke called to ask for the same thing. I asked him to email me, but he didn’t.”
Lady : “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t know that. I will send you an email right away.”
Then she hung up. Again, no email, no sms, nothing. Fast forward a week later, which was yesterday, ANOTHER MALAY LADY called me up to ask for the same thing – my router’s serial number, when I was busy troubleshooting some intricate engineering work with a couple of engineers. This time, I snapped.
Me : “This is the third time you imbeciles call me! I’m at work and I couldn’t possibly provide you the details under my router, don’t you understand??? That’s why I asked your colleagues to send me an email! Why can’t you people just do it already??? You would have gotten the stupid serial number had any of you sent me a goddamn email!!!!”
Lady#2 : “Sorry sir I didn’t know that somebody had called you earlier…”
Me : “YEAH, NEITHER DID ANY OF YOUR STUPID COLLEAGUES! For the record, I so want to send you the serial number right now, just so that you’ll stop bugging me! But I CAN’T! I’m AT WORK! Why is it so hard for you guys to send out an email???”
Lady#2 : “I’m really sorry about that, so should I send it to your work email?”
Me : “WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU SEND IT TO MY WORK EMAIL ADDRESS!!? I already told you I can’t check my router’s serial number at work!!! What is wrong with you!?”
Lady#2 : “Sorry, sorry, but what’s your home email address?”
Me : “You’re my ISP and you don’t know my email address??? Check your records lah!!!”
Lady#2 : “Ok, ok… michaelooi@isp.com… got it got it”
Me : “Can you send it now? Now??? Do it now! NOW!!!! And please don’t ever call me again!”
And I remember I screamed at her somewhere in the middle of the conversation. Forgot what I screamed but, it was nasty. I was like, channeling all my cumulative frustrations at her through the phone and I shut both my eyes when I did that – much to the engineers’ bewilderment. I could tell that the lady was at the verge of crying, but hell, I didn’t care back then. I just wanted to let out. If there were to be a dog nearby, I would have grabbed the damn animal and bit it to death. (It’s been some time since I was this mad).
Anyway, I received the email that very night… and those idiots finally got what they fucking wanted.