Not a good thing when you earn your living on the phone. Had a client cancel a cruise because the original itinerary changed. It is no longer calling on Beiruit, and it won't go to Lybia either, because US Citizens are once again not allowed to enter Lybia. That changes on a regular basis, but my client was disappointed because he wanted the original itinerary.
Now, because it is work, I can't really say "Listen, buster, have you been reading the papers? There's a war on and Beiruit is getting hammered."
I had been working on a really long pre-cruise and post-cruise land program for him, to go to Israel and Egypt in great depth. He said "Egypt would probably be okay, but I think Israel might be a little uncomfortable."
Ya think?
So he cancelled, and had me re-book him on another cruise line, another itinerary, that doesn't visit any place currently at war.
Another lady called to book another cruise, and she just started talking politics to me - total stranger, mind you - about this heartbreaking disaster in Lebanon and Israel. She said (total stranger from the Middle West) that she thinks it is really a fake war to keep people from paying attention to Iraq. Then she said "I don't mean fake in the sense that it isn't real, but I mean fake because the killings there make people not think about what we are really doing."
I thought, damn, this lady took a full on risk with me! Still, I'm at work, and I cannot do that discussion on the phone. But it has been my day for cruisers who want to go to the Middle East.
Just got off the phone with another one. Meanwhile, my throat is just screaming - I don't want to talk, I don't have a thought in my brain, I want to get popsicles and really do nothing.
8 comments:
Maybe your Midwestern customer was doing a little evangelizing :)
Hope you feel better soon, Jood!
I think you're complete stranger on the phone just may be on to something. Either that, or (if ya checked out my top post for today)these crazy bastards in charge are really trying to bring about the Rapture... sigh...
....BUT I have just the thing for your sore throat. I absolutely swear by this stuff, and it is 100% natural. It was started by a Romanian doctor who studied viruses and colds in a kibbutz setting in Israel, and when people drank elderberry extract syrup, it shortened the length of time someone was sick. Hubby and I use it, and it is completely safe for BabyGirl, too. It is called Sambucol. It is made in Israel, it is 100% natural, and it is even kosher. We pick up 2 to 3 bottles of it every fall at our local healthfood store to make sure we have it around to get us thru the cold & flu season, but whenever any of us get the sniffles, sore throats or fever, we adults take 2 teaspoons every 4 to 6 hrs and I swear, it helps you fight it.... and no, I do not work for nor represent the company that makes this stuff... it just works, and I love that it is natural.
Crabbi, I think she might be. At any rate, after she called back, I realized she's Jewish, and she's got the same emotional upheaval about Israel/Lebanon as me. And she booked a second suite on the cruise, two suites, just waiting for her to show me the money. We like people who actually book.
Tina, I've been using Zircam, but that's not so good for throats. I'll try to track down this stuff, Sabucol. I just went home after work, and haven't talked since 5:30 PM when I left the office. It's been great.
Sorry to hear you're feeling icky my dear. Me too - only it's my asthma. The heat is still a bear - and there have been almost daily air alerts. My lungs feel like they're swimming in liquid. I never wanted a summer to pass as quickly as I want this one! I need a vacation!
Like FLS said...it's icky to be sick. I feel sorry for you having to work through this and the way the heat is on in the middle east...you have to listen to it at work too. Hope that stuff works for you from the health food store. I used to work in one years ago, it was a nice job.
ice cream is good too! especially in the summertime :) hope you feel better. no comment on your customers at this time.
I have the same thoughts as the woman in the mid west. The coverage of the Israel-Lebanon conflict is a great way to divert attention fromt the very serious civil war raging in Iraq. I even considered it may have been one of the reasons our president did not call for an immediate ceasefire. That would have put Iraq back on page one.
Hope your throat is on the mend. Take care of yourself.
I love popsicles and ice when I get sore throats. I rarely get sick but I do often get a sore throat... usually if I don't get enough sleep, for some reason.
Hope you feel better! I bet frozen yoghurt would feel awesome also.
I'm going to keep the Sambucol in mind. I have a Nature Mart 2 blocks away!
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