"I have plenty of time!"

A telemarketer called the office today. He had a rather strong Indian accent and sounded like an older gentleman. He was offering us the same services that our company provides. I talked with him for a few minutes and even pulled up his company's web site: it looked like a quality web site.

I shared that we didn't have a need for any of their services at this time, but that I would put his web site address into my file in case we ever did need to outsource some work: we could then consider them.

He appreciated that and was about to go when I asked him if I could ask him a question that didn't relate to his company. He said, "Sure."

I asked if he had a minute or two and he said that he did.

When speaking with someone that has a strong accent which indicates that English may not be their primary language, I work at speaking slow and I try to use plain words.

I asked if he had ever taken the Good Person test before, and at first he said "Ok", but when I said, "Have you, William, ever taken the test before?" He then understood and said, "No."

I started into it and didn't get very far at all. He said that he considered himself a good person. He was familiar with the ten commandments (God's measure of our goodness).

At that point he interrupted me and said, "Isn't this taking too long?"

I suspected that he meant to ask something slightly different, but I responded with a, "Is this taking too long? Not at all, I have plenty of time!" and kept going with the test. He laughed when he realized the question that he had asked, interrupted me, and said that HE didn't have time.

So, I encouraged him to visit a web site and finish the test (he said that he would) and we said goodbye.

I was disappointed that he wasn't able to go through the whole test, but, who knows, perhaps he would have gotten in trouble with his boss.