Phone Bank

People like money. People really like money when it's theirs.

For one reason or another, some people don't get their tax refunds. My station has a list of these people. Some of them have thousands of dollars just waiting for them. And because the station has branded itself on helping people, we have opened up a phone bank to allow people to call us so we can check the list.

I shouldn't say "we." I avoided that pleasure. But for Sarah, Jace and the new guy (Justin), they did not have my luck.

The phones rang off the hook for every hour we had them open.

They actually overloaded our system. It was fun to watch the three of them. Everytime they put the phone down, it would instantly ring again.

"What's your last name?" was the greeting. No plesantries. There was no time wasted. The funniest part was when people didn't believe that they weren't on the list.

"Could you check again?"
"Yes sir, I don't see your name on the list."
"There's no Smithersonton on the list?"
"No sir."
"That's Smithersonton with an S... Like Sam."
"No sir. No Smithersonton..."
"Oh... Would you check again?"

As any good photographer would do, Dave and I mocked the poor three stuck with the phones.

Come on... You'd do it too.

*update: The list is now online, saving all station workers the chance of working the phone bank. How we can all breathe easy tonight.