Another excerpt..it might ring true for anybody who has tried to ring a government department:
Ignorance Theory - by kj nelson wrote:
The phone buzzed on the other end, and a machine picked up. “You have reached an environmental agency in the department of technology. We are out of the office right now. If you want to leave a message, press 1. If you don’t want to leave a message, press 2. If you want to try your luck at actually reaching someone live, press 3.”
Phil pressed 3.
The call was transferred to another desk where a live voice answered. “You’ve reached the department of an environmental agency in the department of technology.”
A live voice. Phil forgot why he’d called.
“Hello?” The live guy raised his voice.
“Oh, hey, I found some dead animals at a lake that’s contaminated, and wonder if you could send someone out to take a look.”
“Dead animals?” The guy seemed confused about what dead animals were.
“Yeah, they’re like, poisoned or somethin, it’s pretty unnatural, the lake is all dead, it stinks, and...”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.” The guy broke in, “Animals ain’t my department. Here’s Mak.”
“This is Mak.”
“Hey, I found some dead animals.”
“Dead animals? Tom’s in charge of dead animals. He ain’t here today.”
“I just want someone to check it out, it’s pretty weird.”
“Like what?” Mak wanted to know.
“I don’t know, like something poisoned them, or maybe it’s the water…”
“You say you were poisoned? That ain’t my department. Call the hospital.”
“Not me, the animals, and water.”
“Oh, water, that’s Jon’s department, he ain’t here today neither. Here’s Jed.”
“This is Jed.”
“Hey, why would someone poison the birds and fish?”
“I don‘t know, it ain’t my department. Hang on.” Jed yelled to another guy in the office. “Some guy found a dead bird.”
“What kinda bird?” Someone yelled from the background.
Jed got back on the line to Phil. “What kinda bird?”
“I don’t know what kind of bird it was!”
“He don’t know.” Jed yelled back to the guys. Then Phil heard him tell the others, “Besides a dead bird!”
Now Phil could hear heckling and laughing, like the guys had gathered round Jed’s desk.
“Hey, can someone just come out here and take a look?” Phil asked nicely.
Jed asked the guys, “Can someone go look at it?”
“Look at it hell, we believe him!” Someone else yelled back.
Jed was back on the line. “No one has to see it we believe you.”
“That’s not the point! There’s a serious problem!”
“He says it’s serious.” Jed told the guys.
One of the guys yelled back. “Can’t be too serious- the bird’s already dead!”
Laughs all around.
“The lake is contaminated and dried up!” Phil kept on.
“There’s other lakes.” Jed told Phil.
“Hey, can I please talk to someone else?” Phil asked.
“Talk about what?”
“Well, about the lake!”
Jed asked the guys, “Anyone know where there’s another lake?”
Phil heard someone tell Jed, “Hurry up and get off the phone, it’s your turn to deal.”
“Nope.” Jed told Phil firmly. “Ain’t no other lakes around. Try the water department.“ Jed hung up the phone.
There Phil stood with the receiver in his hand, rubbing his temples, trying to make sense of life. The automated lady came back on the line
Ignorance Theory by kj nelson (Chapter 11)http://www.amazon.com/Ignorance-Theory- ... 271&sr=1-1