Thursday, July 05, 2007
16.12 On Time
Putting the phone down after telling someone they were making a mountain out of a molehill I reflected on how rarely, these days, I feel the need to revert to Quoting The Law.
All people want to know is if they are right or if they are wrong.
They don't care about the subtleties of the consumer protection (cancellationofcontractsconcludedawayfrombusinesspremises) regulations 1987 or those pesky torts and their darned interfering with goods. They like to spout a bit about 'satisfactory quality' (or, if they still base all their legal knowledge on what they heard on Jimmy Young in the 70's, 'merchantable' quality) but they don't want to have to listen to an explaination of exactly what that might mean, and how it is best applied, in the context of their individual circumstances.
And I've forgotten most of that stuff anyway. So I've stopped telling them.
Sometimes I will say: "You're absolutely right. This is what to do."
Frequently I will say: "You're right and this is what you should do - but - really, is it worth it?"
More often, of late, I will say: You are being stupid. Stop it now.
It seems better all round.
Although the toughest are the ones who already know they are right and ring up to confirm that they are right, but are actually wrong.
Woman Of Mine
The Letter
S&M
The Deli Song
Ariel
Lydia
Company
I May Be Young
Shopping Bag Ladies
Putting the phone down after telling someone they were making a mountain out of a molehill I reflected on how rarely, these days, I feel the need to revert to Quoting The Law.
All people want to know is if they are right or if they are wrong.
They don't care about the subtleties of the consumer protection (cancellationofcontractsconcludedawayfrombusinesspremises) regulations 1987 or those pesky torts and their darned interfering with goods. They like to spout a bit about 'satisfactory quality' (or, if they still base all their legal knowledge on what they heard on Jimmy Young in the 70's, 'merchantable' quality) but they don't want to have to listen to an explaination of exactly what that might mean, and how it is best applied, in the context of their individual circumstances.
And I've forgotten most of that stuff anyway. So I've stopped telling them.
Sometimes I will say: "You're absolutely right. This is what to do."
Frequently I will say: "You're right and this is what you should do - but - really, is it worth it?"
More often, of late, I will say: You are being stupid. Stop it now.
It seems better all round.
Although the toughest are the ones who already know they are right and ring up to confirm that they are right, but are actually wrong.
Woman Of Mine
The Letter
S&M
The Deli Song
Ariel
Lydia
Company
I May Be Young
Shopping Bag Ladies
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