We’ve all experienced the frustration of receiving an unwanted telemarketing call, especially when it interrupts our precious moments, like dinner time. The situation only gets worse when they persistently try to sell us things we’re simply not interested in. However, let us introduce you to a man who found an interesting way to handle these calls.
Tom Mabe, an ordinary man like you and me, had been bothered by these telemarketing calls one too many times. One day, as he was about to sit down for dinner, he received another unwanted call. But instead of letting it ruin his evening, he decided to have some fun.
Telemarketer: “Yes, can I speak with Tom Mabe?”
Tom Mabe: “Who’s calling?”
Telemarketer: “This is Mike. You have been selected to receive a complete digital satellite system for free.”
Tom Mabe: “Let me ask you something. Did you know Tom Mabe? Were you a friend of his?”
Understanding the telemarketer was caught off guard, Tom seized the opportunity to play a little prank. He pretended to be a police officer investigating a murder scene, claiming that Tom Mabe had passed away. Unbeknownst to the bewildered telemarketer, Tom Mabe was actually speaking to him from his own home.
Tom Mabe: “Hold on a second… Hey guys! Get really good pictures of the body and dust everything for prints. Mike, you there?”
Mike: “-Yeah…”
Tom Mabe: “Yeah, let me bring you up to speed. You’ve actually called a murder scene… Mr. Mabe is no longer with us. I’m Officer Clarke, I’m conducting a homicide investigation. I want to ask you a series of questions… First of all, what was the nature of the business you had with Tom Mabe?”
Mike: “I… I had no business with him. I’m sorry to have bothered-“
Tom Mabe: “No, no, no, hang on. I’m going to ask you to stay on the phone… this call has already been traced, and we may need to come in for further questioning…”
Mike: “You don’t understand, I’m just calling-“
Tom Mabe: “No, you don’t understand. Unless you want to be charged with Obstruction of Justice, it is imperative that you keep your @$$ on the phone, Mike.”
With each passing question, the poor telemarketer became more desperate to get off the line. He even asked if Tom Mabe could speak to his supervisor. But Tom continued to press on, asking for the telemarketer’s whereabouts and even involving the fictional Middleton Homicide Department.
Tom Mabe: “Say I want to mail your @$$ a letter. What would I have to write on the outside of that envelope to ensure that the mailman will deliver it right to your @$$? Geographically speaking, Mike, where is work?”
Mike: “40 West (beep), Middleton, Colorado.”
Tom Mabe: “Hold on, that’s 40…”
Mike: “Yes, sir.”
Tom Mabe: “(off the phone to cops) Get the Middleton Homicide Department on the phone. Yeah, give them this information. Tell them there’s been a Talk In Connection with a fatal shooting and aggravated robbery.” (on the phone) “Mike, how did you know Mr. Mabe again?”
But the tables turned when the telemarketer revealed he was hundreds of miles away in Colorado and had no connection to Tom Mabe whatsoever. Frustrated and realizing Tom Mabe’s ruse, he finally hung up.
Tom Mabe: “Hello?”
Tom Mabe’s clever prank not only brought a little entertainment to his dinner table but also highlighted the annoyance and persistence of telemarketing calls. While we may not all have the stomach for such pranks, it’s essential to remember that we have the power to handle these situations in our own way. Maybe it’s time we take a stand against unwanted calls and find creative ways to thwart their efforts. After all, a little laughter can make the frustration a bit more bearable.
