Plan "B"

It's funny how sometimes the biggest blockage to our being at peace with the world is our own selves. I see a little bit of me in my nephew when I was his age. For example, last weekend we were headed to the hospital to visit Laura, but didn't know if she had been released yet. Rather than look up the hospital's phone number in the phonebook (or internet), Josh decides to take the most costly route of calling 411. From the one side of the conversation I could hear, it sounded like an automatic voice recognition system has been put in place in order to save the cost of having operators standing by. I imagine the 'conversation' went something like this:

"Hello, this is the directory service. Please speak the name of the city which you are looking for", said the prerecorded voice.

"I'm looking for South San Francisco", Josh responds.

"Sorry, I couldn't understand that. Please speak the name of the city you are looking for. For example: San Francisco."

"I'm looking for South San Francisco", he replys.

"Sorry, I'm still not understanding you. Please hold for the next available attendant."

[pause for several seconds]

Operator: "Hi, what city?"

Josh: "I'm looking for South San Francisco." [unyielding in his effort to add 'I'm looking for' to his request.

[click] - the call was transferred to the same automated voice response system.

Automated voice: "That number is 555-1212. Would you like me to connect you for an additional $2? Please respond by saying 'yes' or 'no'."

Josh: "Um, no thank you, but what was the number again?

Automated voice: "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that. Please reply 'yes' or 'no'."

Alas, poor Josh. It took me years to figure out that the construct will not bend to my strong will. It's more a matter of getting the construct to cooperate with my will. He'd better get it eventually. C.O.P.s is filled with strong willed people attempting to control a situation when in "reality" they've given up all control with anger.