Writing for Fun
April 2015
The Telephone Cold Caller - Jenni Bowers
Carol was so sick of them, usually she just picked up the phone and lay it on the desk, 'Let them waffle away and waste their time and money,' she had decided; with her memory she'd just forget to pick it up again, so peace would reign.
However, this time she was expecting her son to ring with news of the new baby so she grabbed the receiver only to find that yet again it was someone telling her she was in debt and they could help out! As she'd never been in debt, brought up by Victorian parents who'd always frowned on credit – 'You work, you save then you get what you want' had been their constant advice and although it had been hard refusing to go for a loan they had managed ok so far.
All right, they had inherited the house, and paid cash for the car and holidays, even saving enough to pay for some lovely antiques – they were not in debt!
She shouted down the mouthpiece, 'Go away! Stop calling this number or I will charge you for every time you do.' (She'd been watching those TV programmes about cold callers and this was their advice, but would it work?)
Eventually the longed for call arrived, 'It's a boy, mum, and a girl! Twins - they are beautiful you must come soon and Laura is fine, she hopes you'll visit tomorrow.'
Carol sat down, so, Granny at last; they'd waited so long for this moment with Laura losing baby after baby and had almost given up until last year they accepted her help to pay for IVF treatment.
Oops – oh yes – she'd forgotten – how many thousands had she borrowed from that nice bank? Well it was in a good cause and now the results would mean joy for her only son – better not tell hubby where the money came from – he'd think she'd sold an antique, but how could she part with any of her precious treasures when she'd saved so hard to acquire them?
The doorbell rang – expecting hubby she opened it wide – two large gentlemen stood on the step, 'We are from the debt agency, madam, come to retrieve goods to the value of £9,500!'