'THE POLITENESS PROJECT - CONTINUED

DAY 5   I DON'T TELL OFF A TELEMARKETER
A solicitor for a charity calls as our family sits down to eat dinner. Generally I bark at these people to take us off their call lists and I slam down the receiver before they can even start to reply. But this night I say, "Thank you for doing the hard work of raising money for such a good cause."
     The caller falls silent, momentarily derailed. She thinks I'm yanking her chain. I keep talking. "I'd like to contribute but right now I have four kids in college. If I can make the next tuition payments, I promise that you'll be the first in line for a donation. I really do appreciate your efforts."
     The caller sputters, then says,"Oh. Well, thank you. Have a good night."
     "You too," I say.
     The conversation only took 30 seconds longer than my usual hang-up, but I went back to my family dinner feeling all zen instead of irritated.