No, I am not referring to Terry Pratchett’s wonderful book with the same name as this blog entry, but it just seemed so relevant to my current little contretemps that I couldn’t help using it, too.
Before I explain the connection, I need to mention Bill Bryson (another of my favorite authors). In his also wonderful book Notes From A Big Country, he relates the story of what he did when he became extremely fed up with receiving so much junk mail. Mr Bryson decided that if a company included a SASE in their junk mail, he would mail it back to them empty just so that they would have to fork out the cash for the return postage (companies don’t have to pay for the postage unless the envelope is mailed back to them). Go Bill, thought I when I read that.
Yes, that’s all very interesting, but what relevance does it have? I hear you all cry.
Well, I have been receiving junk mail from one of the telecom companies here. It’s not actually addressed to me, but to my deceased mother-in-law. I have called this telecom company several times to explain that my mother-in-law is no longer with us, but they still haven’t taken her name off their mailing list, despite several assurances that they would.
I know this because earlier today the mail man delivered yet another missive for her from the telecom company. Now, call me hypersensitive if you will, but it’s rather upsetting to still be receiving mail for her nearly a year after her death.
I called the company again, in another bid to get them to remove her name, and after spending hours (felt like) listening to a totally useless automated voice menu, I finally got to speak to a human being. After I explained the situation, yet again, he told me that I’d come through to the wrong department (it was totally impossible to get to the right deparment from that bloody automated voice menu), and promised to connect me to the appropriate one.
Several seconds later the call was disconnected.
Instead of turning the air blue with curse words, I double checked the envelope in which the junk mail had been sent. There inside was – you guessed – a SASE. So guess what I’m going to do with it?
You send that SASE Hon…
I love that idea. I may have to try it myself.
I still get junk mail for my husband who died almost ten years ago. He still gets credit card offers which is occasionally tempting, you know? I mean, would he really care if I wrecked his credit at this point? Not that I would, but you know what I mean.
Well, can I just say that I got a small thrill of empowerment when I put that envelope in the mail box. . .
Eileen, I know what you mean. Do the offers come with a SASE?