Our life. A short play in one act

[xiphias]

Me: We have twenty-seven messages on the answering machine.

Lis: Yeah, so?

Me: So are you going to listen to them?

Lis: No.

Me: Are you avoiding anything?

Lis: The answering machine. I hate telephones.

Me: Well, I hate telephones, and answering machines, too. Why do we even HAVE one? I mean, twenty-seven people think they've gotten in touch with us, and they HAVEN'T, because we don't listen to our answering machine. If we're not going to listen to it, why do we have it?

Comments

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

This is why we haven't had an answering machine since 1998.

[mswae.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it is possible to get an answering machine that says "Hi, you've reached Ian and Lis, so you have the right number. We're not here right now, so you should try us later or, even better, use other means to contact us." And then doesn't allow the listener to leave a message.

It would have all the advantages of a machine -- something to greet people who call with, to reassure them they have the right number, and to keep the phone from ringing 33 times per call just because you don't feel like picking up.

I wonder if anyone makes anything like that? I suppose a disadvantage would be that people would assume it was broken and keep calling back trying to get the beep ...

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

Mine does that. Anyone who really matters know our cell phone numbers or email.

[phantom_wolfboy]

Most answering machines should have a setting that allows you to set for an outgoing message only--no beep, no recording.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Back in the day, many of them did. I can remember one answering machine I had back in the 80s had an "announce only" mode. It was mostly for offices and such.

[navrins]

Well, you can always say, "Don't bother leaving a message, because we won't hear it."

Leave your email address on your answering machine, maybe? I've been tempted.

I hate to ask, but...

[(Anonymous)]

was there any chance that any of those messages could have been job-related?? :-)

Re: I hate to ask, but...

[cheshyre]

No.
I do check the caller ID, and if there's anything I don't recognize while I'm out, I scan the messages.

We did listen to them all last night, after Ian posted this, because I noticed Callerid listed something from Harvard Club.