The pink envelope sat in the mail box, its fleshy color inviting me to pull it close. I gently withdrew it, figuring it was an invitation or holiday card of some sort. I noted the return address, Birmingham, Ala. Who did I know in Birmingham?
I felt the firmness of the card inside the classy envelope. Surely, this was some wedding invitation of a long forgotten cousin. I opened it. Yes, I was right. The perfect roses on the card cover, the diffused lighting, all pointed to it.
But when I opened the card, I got a different message. One one side: Maybe we didn’t say “we care” as much as we should have. On the other: Maybe you were right about everything.
Suddenly, the card was an apology. A make-up. A love letter. Who would be so affectionate, so down-on-their-knees sorry? I opened the tri-fold all the way up.
O, yes. Of course. Only a giant corporation could grovel like this. Bellsouth. Begging for my business. It’s been about a month since I severed my telephone line, a tether I rarely used, in favor of going mobile. Cellular, baby. It is the 21st century, after all.
More and more people I know have eschewed the traditional land line in favor of mobile phones. It must be getting bad if Bellsouth has resorted to such blatant sucking up. But I sure did savor it.
4 Comments
Maybe you are right about everything!
Well, darn it. That tops my holiday card…
http://bmf-st.blogspot.com/2005/12/thats-so-sneaky.html
I spent years working for a phone company so I can’t complain too much, it was a good living. On the other hand I have seen the marketing/sales folks kick in and waste tons of money on campaigns like this. And then there’s my friend in California, whose wife makes a living supplying a fat old tel co. with all kinds of marketing paraphernalia.
It’s the American way.
yeah, it makes me feel all warm inside knowing that bellsouth is spending all this money trying to woo back dissatisfied customers now that they have a choice, with fancy cards and reasonable calling plans, all the while passing the cost of this promotion/pr effort on to the existing subscribers. what a bunch of assholes.
that reminds me; i need to buy more minutes before the 18th…