Some People are Like a Dog with a Bone

  Image by Domenico Mattei from Pixabay
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
May 31, 2019 1:36am CST
We have friends in Oklahoma we were worried about because of the tornados, so Hubby called to check on them today. Unfortunately for me, our old friend wasn't home and his wife, also our friend now by marriage, was the one to call back. She's a very nice person and we have some common interests. But once she gets on a subject it's hard for her to let go. She called Hubby's cell back, and just as I feared, they managed to involve me in the conversation. And Hubby handed me the phone. S___ is somewhat of a natural health evangelist, and I use that term purposefully. I had heard them talking about blood pressure and Hubby was sharing how successful he's been with raw garlic and I was trying to stay out of it. I was thinking "Here he goes again." But then I heard him say he'd give the phone to me so she could tell me the name of what she used. I guess she's all about detox now. So I dutifully wrote the product name down. Then she went on about how to use it. (I wasn't ever planning to use it.) I wanted to write my blog post and she wanted to talk about detox. But that wasn't all. She saw a a bud on a plant I gave her during a visit over a year ago. She couldn't remember what it was. After her description (a leaf like lamb's ears but bigger) I was pretty sure it was mullein or clary sage. I said I'd email a photo of my mullein but she said she couldn't get at the email, but I did send it that way because I didn't have the photo on my phone. So she sends a photo of what she has to my husband's phone. The bud looked like clary sage, but the leaves were like mullein. So I went out to feel the leaves of each. They were both fuzzier than I remembered. Then I took a photo of my mullein which is still only a rosette with no buds. I sent that from my phone since I'd just taken the picture there. And I had to figure out how to do it since I've hardly ever used the phone to message and I'd never attached a photo to a message. She messages back "that's it." Then she asks how I use it. I was getting restless by then, very anxious to get back to work. She was still "chewing on the bone." So I said, " I don't use it. I just have it there to look pretty." Did I say I hate messaging? I also mentioned I had to get back to work. I also mentioned I hardly ever answer my cell phone because the ringer is usually off and the phone is normally not in the same room I'm in. I normally only answer the house phone. I feel a bit guilty, even though that's the truth. Of course the bigger truth was that I didn't want to keep that conversation going. I had work to do. And it's this way every time I talk to her. She starts in on a subject and won't quit until she can persuade me. I did not want to talk anymore about detox. One reason I hate to call people anymore is because I don't want to catch them at a bad time. I don't really like to talk on the phone at all unless it's a best friend on the other end and we really need to talk about something important. There is one of those I need to call soon, since she buried her son a couple of weeks ago. For that I'll make a call. But I'm afraid I may have hurt someone's feelings tonight and that makes me feel bad. So you like to talk on the phone? Do you get into conversations even with people you like that you would rather not have? How could I have handled this better?
9 people like this
9 responses
@wolfgirl569 (95190)
• Marion, Ohio
31 May 19
After so long you have to just say enough. You had things to do.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
31 May 19
That's what I finally had to do. If there's anything I hate worse than talking on the phone (besides going to the dentist) it's texting.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95190)
• Marion, Ohio
1 Jun 19
@bagarad I dont mind quick ones. Like my son telling me he is on the way to drop off or pick up Adeline. But if you want a conversation I would rather talk.
@LadyDuck (458091)
• Switzerland
31 May 19
I never liked to talk on the phone. If it is a quick info it's fine, if it is for more important communications I prefer an email.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
31 May 19
I feel that way unless it's someone in my family or if the conversation has a lot of emotional content where immediate feedback is important along with the sound of a supportive voice.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
5 Jun 19
I don't like talking on the phone. I call my sister almost every day and she can talk my ears off. She is about the only person I talk with on the phone.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111177)
• El Paso, Texas
6 Jun 19
I love to talk on the phone as long as it isn't about anything serious. I have a friend who is in El Paso taking care of her elderly parents and when she calls me it's to rant about all the things going wrong for her, I simply listen and when she's done she says goodbye. So what I do to finally get to talk is bug those silly telemarketers that still dare to call me
@crossbones27 (48420)
• Mojave, California
31 May 19
You know what I always think, amazing how they say a phone is a necessity I am seriously thinking of getting one because half these places will not let me work for them because I have no cell phone. I use my brothers phone on a couple but I do not want to pester him day in and day out. See, just crap like that they sneakily did where I feel not as free as once were, so I get when you say I do not want to disturb them.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
31 May 19
For my first 60 years my landline and I got along just fine. Back then there were no cell phones, robocalls, and hardly any telemarketers. When you answered the phone it was normally someone you wanted to talk to or an important call you didn't want to miss. I wasn't as busy then, either. Any employment I had was outside the home and I rarely had to call into work. When I got home, my time was my own. Working at home writing is different. It takes concentration. I hate it when the phone rings just as what I'm writing is picking up steam and I'm on a roll. Answering makes me lose momentum and it's hard to get it back when the call is over. I got nothing but this written last night, but I'd been planning to write a Medium post. Never happened.
1 person likes this
• Mojave, California
31 May 19
@bagarad Indeed, hard to stay focused when that happens. Very good point.
• China
31 May 19
That did upset you ! I hate talking with people on the phone who talk the hind legs off a donkey !
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
31 May 19
I love your description. The timing was also very bad last night.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
31 May 19
There are days I do, and days I don't. Sometimes I like to chatter on the phone.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
31 May 19
Chattering is great if you have nothing else to to at the time and you are talking to someone you feel close to.
@rebelann (111177)
• El Paso, Texas
6 Jun 19
I think everyone either has a friend like that or knows someone like that, I wouldn't have done anything different from what you did, just lend an ear. Lonely people want to talk to people and sometimes they don't know what to talk about so they choose something they think is interesting. Maybe next time ask questions about something other than what she's talking about?? I really wouldn't know what else to do.
@Ronrybs (17849)
• London, England
31 May 19
I like emails these days as I don't want to be involved in long phone conversations. Always seems to be that the same thing is repeated over and over and then they get on their hobby horse. Spare me!
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
31 May 19
I also prefer email. For one thing, it gives me time to think before I say anything I might regret. I also can pick when I will read and when I will reply.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129470)
• Israel
6 Jun 19
@bagarad The lady sounds like she likes to talk and maybe she has no one to talk to. I do not like the phone either. I like the computer. Did you tell her you had to get off to do things?