Off to a slew of residential service calls to the elderly, senior shut-ins who's months highlight is having a tradesman show up...

So they gotta flow me around , not content to watch, they actually debate my every move.

I'm silent, sucking in the 'Ralph & Alice' bit's puns & jabs, awaiting decision....

tic,tic,tic,tic...

the Honeymooners.... alive & well in Vermont

That reminds me...
Spring 1980.
Maintenance man at apartment complex.
Job ticket - change light fixture in apartment.

After spending 1/2 hour changing fixture, I kindly listen to the wheelchair bound woman talk non-stop about her being a shut-in and having no family or friends. After about 1/2 hr. or so, I start wanting to leave but can't seem to get away. Slyly, I reached into my back pocket to key the microphone on my walkie-talkie. As soon as the office responds to my bogus keying, I say into microphone " OK, boss, I'll get right on it". Tell the lady I have to go on emergency call. On the way back to the office I am so pleased with myself for being so clever, that I can't wait to tell the office crew. When I get to the office, no sooner do I tell my story than the phone rings. It's the woman. "The nice young man left his tools here". You can guess the rest.

Long winded, one-sided conversations can be stressful.
Another trick is to tactfully turned off the pager, then turned it back on again. Then say you have to go "call in", after the series of beeps that sounded when first turning on the pager. Be sure to use your cell phone in your truck!!
Works everytime.

Tiff

HA! HA! HA!(...he laughed slyly) Been there, done that!! It also works well when you have to break away from an overextended telephone conversation, too. It's certainly the least insulting way of doing it that I have seen. Best wishes for a joyous holiday season to y'all!

Mike (mamils)