Dear, dear telemarketers, when will you learn?

Everyone has those calls. The ones that will only take a "moment" of your time. Ones that ask you to just "help out" for this worthy cause. I have helped out in the past for some causes I felt were just. However, this year, this moment really, I will not be helping out. And when I tell you I will not be helping out, do not proceed to tell me how bad your cause has it and how it is my responsibility to help. Do not tell me that they cannot make it without my help. 'Cause let me tell you something, if they would take the money that they pay you to solicit help on the phone lines, that would save them their much needed money.

I had such a call this morning, just now in fact. It was for a cause that normally I would support. That poor, script-ridden lady had no idea what she was in for. I explained that at this time it was not possible to help out. I was nice and courteous. She did not understand. She actually made the mistake of trying to keep me on the phone to tell me about different monetary ways I could give. I did try to take nice, long, deep breaths. Tried to tell myself that this person, with the nasal northern accent, had no clue what was going on in my life and I should be considerate. Fuck that.

I explained again to her that this was not a good year for me to be giving money to her cause. I explained to her that my mother has pancreatic cancer. She again tried to get me to give. I explained to her that I am losing my mother & most likely will have to use my own funds to help cover the ever-rising cost of health care. I explained that while my mother did qualify for disability, it only allowed $700 a month and did not include Medicare. That $700 does not even pay for the insurance bill, much less the rent, utilities and living expenses. I also explained to her that of the types of cancers out there, pancreatic cancer has the least amount of funding, yet is the most aggressive killer. Would she like to give to the pancreatic cancer fund? Would she? That help would be most appreciated at this time. There are a number of ways that she could help out. She could go online*. She could tell one other person about pancreatic cancer and the symptoms so they could tell another person. She could get on her knees and pray that the next person we vote into the oval office has some fucking clue as to the current state of our health care system. But she could not get me to commit to funding her current cause.

At that point I wished her good day and hung up.

Take care - me

A few sites:
Pancreatica.org
PanCAN.org
Pancreatic.org