“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 706 (Thursday) – no callback

Our work phone system is set up to send an email with a sound file when a message is left on the office line. It is easy to click on the sound file in the email and hear the message. Sometimes the message is from a fellow banker or a vendor partner with whom we’re working on a project, but more often than not, and especially at the end of a month or quarter, it’s a salesperson cold calling. 

Twice this week, on days when I was working remotely, calls came in. Had I been at the office, I would have just reached over, grabbed the receiver, and answered the call without checking the caller ID on the display screen. Instead, because I was remote, an email arrived with a voicemail from the office line. 

In both cases, the message begins with a very casual and breezy, “Hey! It’s Nick! I’m following up on the email I sent you earlier this week.” Then there was some mostly unintelligible rambling and something to do with one of the marketing world’s current favorite buzzwords, “content,” and the cheery closing of, “so shoot me a text or an email, or call.”

In neither voice message did Nick provide a phone number or an email address, making it impossible to follow up even if I wanted to, which, to be honest, I don’t. Maybe he assumes there is caller ID on the number he called, or he thinks I'm psychic. Maybe he thinks he’s calling a cell number and not a land line. I don't remember any emails from anyone named Nick, but that doesn't mean it didn't come in and was deleted.

Sweet creamy salty crunchy.

So, dear Nick … Thank you for reaching out for whatever it was, but I won’t be “shooting you a text” from the office landline you called. And I also won’t be calling or emailing, because, well, twice you didn’t leave any info to facilitate that process. Leaving no return call info is almost as bad as the other voice mail crime of speaking at a reasonable pace through the entire message, then reeling off the callback number so fast there isn't a chance of getting it.

In the realm of things were much easier to comprehend, tonight’s supper was a delight. It was caramel swirl ice cream topped with potato chips. Sweet and creamy plus salty and crunchy is a great combination. Decadent. Delicious. And far less annoying than vague and mumbled voice mails with no callback info.