It's been a long while in between postings and that's my fault.
I want to write, really I do. I need to write, as a venting process. I must write more, to become a better writer (and a typist.) I have to write, for the successful future of me, not for the fame of being a published author. My writing resume speaks for itself- More on that later.
The quote below comes from an old co-worker. I worked at the Metropolitan Opera House Call Center. Yes, boys and girls I worked as as Customer Service Rep or CSR or whatever clever name the term spinners in marketing are using now. Working at the Met gave me an education in snobbery, corporate greed and all things opera, and I loved it. Hated management but loved my job.
"Tell hayseed over there to comb the hay out of his hair. We're in the city now, let's try to act like it!"
Bad Sam @ work 11-23-1999
Sam said this aloud after answering a call from what he considered the lowest of the low...the general public. Usually, Sam answered calls for the Patron Department.
In Met terminology a 'Patron' was a person or corporation that made an monetary gift, starting at a two thousand dollars and up to and over a million annually. In exchange for this yearly gift Patrons were afforded rights & privileges that were far beyond that of the average opera goer. At a certain level of giving a Patron could choose their seats for any performance, gain access to the special practice performances and talk to snooty CSR's who would treat them like a God - In retrospect it all seems a little silly but I digress..
Anywellness, one day Sam was chosen to help out and take calls from the general public. These callers knew as much about opera as Helen Keller knew about Facebook. Sam HATED talking to people who were below his ilk. He ended every call that day by putting his phone on mute and making a comment about how dumb or inbred the customer was. Don't get me wrong, some people were adamant about their stupidity, others were willing to learn and thanked you for helping them out. Sam didn't care, he only wanted to speak to his million dollar clients and feel connected to the money they had.
Is the quote funny? HELLA YES! You know it is.
Was Sam too cruel to his customers that day? Almost. In his defense I can honestly say that after talking to the rich & famous everyday for five years, you start to believe that the only people you SHOULD only talk to are the rich & famous.
Have I used that line? YES! I've gotten some great laughs from it.
The quote made my book because I knew I'd be able to use it later and sad to say... felt the same way Sam did when I was asked to take calls from the general public after working for the Patron Department for six months.
Some of my best and worst memories at the Met come from talking to Met Patrons like, the late Paul Newman, the late Tony Randall and that prick of a Hollywood producer Scott Rudin.My hate for Scott Rudin is still fresh after all these years...put it this way if I had the power to put any human being in the ground and get away with it, I would do it with glee in my heart, smile on my face while dancing an Irish Jig.
I'll have to explain the reason why in another blog post.
Till next time.
Feed the fish.
Drink long & strong
Don't drink & text or drink & drive.
I want to write, really I do. I need to write, as a venting process. I must write more, to become a better writer (and a typist.) I have to write, for the successful future of me, not for the fame of being a published author. My writing resume speaks for itself- More on that later.
The quote below comes from an old co-worker. I worked at the Metropolitan Opera House Call Center. Yes, boys and girls I worked as as Customer Service Rep or CSR or whatever clever name the term spinners in marketing are using now. Working at the Met gave me an education in snobbery, corporate greed and all things opera, and I loved it. Hated management but loved my job.
"Tell hayseed over there to comb the hay out of his hair. We're in the city now, let's try to act like it!"
Bad Sam @ work 11-23-1999
Sam said this aloud after answering a call from what he considered the lowest of the low...the general public. Usually, Sam answered calls for the Patron Department.
In Met terminology a 'Patron' was a person or corporation that made an monetary gift, starting at a two thousand dollars and up to and over a million annually. In exchange for this yearly gift Patrons were afforded rights & privileges that were far beyond that of the average opera goer. At a certain level of giving a Patron could choose their seats for any performance, gain access to the special practice performances and talk to snooty CSR's who would treat them like a God - In retrospect it all seems a little silly but I digress..
Anywellness, one day Sam was chosen to help out and take calls from the general public. These callers knew as much about opera as Helen Keller knew about Facebook. Sam HATED talking to people who were below his ilk. He ended every call that day by putting his phone on mute and making a comment about how dumb or inbred the customer was. Don't get me wrong, some people were adamant about their stupidity, others were willing to learn and thanked you for helping them out. Sam didn't care, he only wanted to speak to his million dollar clients and feel connected to the money they had.
Is the quote funny? HELLA YES! You know it is.
Was Sam too cruel to his customers that day? Almost. In his defense I can honestly say that after talking to the rich & famous everyday for five years, you start to believe that the only people you SHOULD only talk to are the rich & famous.
Have I used that line? YES! I've gotten some great laughs from it.
The quote made my book because I knew I'd be able to use it later and sad to say... felt the same way Sam did when I was asked to take calls from the general public after working for the Patron Department for six months.
Some of my best and worst memories at the Met come from talking to Met Patrons like, the late Paul Newman, the late Tony Randall and that prick of a Hollywood producer Scott Rudin.My hate for Scott Rudin is still fresh after all these years...put it this way if I had the power to put any human being in the ground and get away with it, I would do it with glee in my heart, smile on my face while dancing an Irish Jig.
I'll have to explain the reason why in another blog post.
Till next time.
Feed the fish.
Drink long & strong
Don't drink & text or drink & drive.
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