the call that reminds you

call after call

complaint after complaint

deliveries delayed

packages destroyed

audio civil unrest

nothing prepares you for

the call that reminds you

customers, happy or not

are people

the call that reminds you

customers find it as hard

to call as easy as you do

to hang-up

but a

simple request

simple returns process

comes

like a

hit to the juggular

I remember colour

leaving my face

the shivers came

as her story she shared

the power of loss

the loss

of

infantile innocence

it still haunts me

her voice on the other end

hopeless and delicate

restrained but distressed

though still

kind and grateful

sorry - all I could say

while her world fell apart

nothing else mattered

*

Thanks for reading!

Author's Notes: This is for the Eavesdropping Sleepy Mission Unofficial Challenge by the amazing sleepy drafts, Em, etc. More information here:

I am still not sure it really qualifies, as it is based around a conversation I had with someone at work, when I worked at a call centre. But it's been years since I had that job and it still plays on my mind, and then I created this piece based around it...so here we go. I accept if it doesn't really fit with the challenge as I am still pleased with it.

Basically, a woman phoned the call centre I worked at for a department store and asked for a return of a baby car chair, because she had lost her baby. It was incredibly sad...she was very kind and all I could say was sorry.