Call Center Purgatory <$BlogRSDURL$>
Call Center Purgatory
Saturday, February 12, 2005
  Friday Afternoon...


The phones had been incredibly calm all day. I walked by Larry's desk, bent down and said, "Hey, it's been dead. How 'bout I slip out and reduce your labor costs today?" He looked up at me very seriously, then a slow, devious grin spread across his face."Hit the road! Have a good weekend.", he grinned slyly and I slid my card through the time card computer before he could change his mind.

When I walked outside, it was like winter was out doing some errands and left spring in charge for the afternoon. The sun was on my face, and the temperature was close to 50 degrees. I knew it was still a little cold, but I rolled the windows down to get some fresh air in my lungs.

As I took the ticket from the tollbooth and accelerated onto the turnpike, I started really becoming aware of being happier than I have in a long time. I turned up the CD player and started a buffet of sound for the way home.

"Uno, Dos, Tres, Catorce!", and Bono started the weekend out as I tried to scream along to the vague but catchy lyrics of "Vertigo". Moby, and Seal and Red Hot Chili Peppers for an entree and salad, and Dave Brubeck "Time Out" for dessert.

The trees are all bare, the grass is shining through patches of snow. Everything is on the edge of warmth and new life. I pulled into the garage, ran inside and gave my wife a long kiss.

It was a very good Friday...

Thanks for reading.

AC

 
Comments:
I feel you, AC! I too know that feeling of pure nirvana which totally engulfs one's senses and frees one's mind on the rare occasion when as a CSR you are temporarily liberated from your shackles - or headset and phone cord -, given the 'ok' for a half day (The Holy Grail), and able to come in contact with that thing you have sometimes almost completely lost touch with, ... that place they call the 'real' world. - A world in which you DO have the right to demand respect, you DON'T have to apologise for other people's mistakes or for existing and you can tell people to go f**k themselves if they really take the p*ss.

I worked in a call centre for two LONNNNG years, suffered from very low self esteem during that time and began to think the world was a horrible place filled with rude, arrogant, megalomaniacs who cared for nothing but money... Upon leaving however, I found that all the above is er... still true, but it is certainly NOT my fault or my problem and anyone who expects me to sort out their problems for them (i.e. just because of their position or level of authority, their rank in the caste system etc.) can go whistle 'cos I;ve got more than enough of my own, thank you very much, ...SIR!!!
 
Fantastic blog by the way, it's shocking just how closely this resembles the call centre I used to work in. I admire you for being able to stick it out this long and keeping going, despite everything.
 
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Exploring the mind numbing insanity and childish corporate culture of an unknown call center employee.
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Purgatory: A place of suffering and torment with an unknown duration. In Roman Catholic Theology-the place where the dead are purified from their sins.
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Email:anonymous.cog at gmail.com
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