Over the last few months, we’ve had a number of clients reappear that we haven’t heard from in literally years. Early one morning this week in fact, a client called who we haven’t heard from in three years. He wants to reactivate a project that he started lo those many years ago.
Unfortunately, as in many households, before 8 a.m. or so is "family time" for us. People with kids are getting them off to school. We don’t have kids, but we have to deal with our four dogs. They take their morning routine pretty seriously, mostly because it involves food.
At around 7:30 a.m., we’re usually doing dishes, which happens before I feed the dogs. The anticipation of food causes quite a stir in the downstairs hallway where the canine team hangs out until breakfast.
So one morning this week at 7:30, we were doing dishes as usual, and our home phone rang (as opposed to one of our business lines). We don’t answer the business lines outside of business hours, but we picked up the home phone, figuring it was a family member. (Some East coast relatives have been known to call early.)
At the same time James was answering the phone, I heard a LOT of excess stirring in the downstairs hallway. Then Leia, the black dog, started making yakking noises. I started running downstairs and yelling at her to get to the door. (Sometimes if I yell, I can distract the dog long enough to get her outside.)
Unfortunately, the call was not a family member, but was our long-lost client who apparently looked up our home number in the phone book. So his first impression after three years was probably not great. As James was talking to him about his project, I have no doubt that he heard me in the background yelling at Leia.
I remain somewhat mortified, but hey that’s what happens when you call at 7:30 am on the home line. Hound barfage could be happening.