Say My Name

Over the past two days I've received two similar calls on my landline. They came from different numbers. Here's how they went:

Phone rings, I answer.

Me: Hello.

Silence. Then some clicking.

Me: Hello?

More silence and some background noise, then the caller responds.

First call, a man says, "Oh, hello, Arianna."

Me: I'm sorry, you must have a wrong number.

Caller: Well, wrong name but right number. Who am I speaking to?

Me: Who am I speaking to?

Caller: This is Joe from [name of nonprofit organization] …

Me: I'm sorry, Joe. I don't make donations on the phone. Could you please remove me from your list?

Joe: Could you let me talk to you about …

Me: I don't make donations on the phone. Thank you. (Click)

Second call, there's the same silence, clicking, background noise. I say hello twice, then a woman says, "Hi, is this Enid?"

Me: No, I'm sorry. You have the wrong number.

Caller: Oh, I'm so sorry for the mistaken name. Who am I speaking to?

Me: Who am I speaking to?

Caller: This is Ann from [name of same nonprofit organization] …

Me: I'm sorry, Ann. I don't make donations over the phone. I asked to be removed from your list yesterday.

Ann: I see. Can I talk to you about …

Me: I don't make donations over the phone. Thank you. (Click)

And it's true. I don't ... with apologies to all the legit telefundraisers out there. But I don't normally hang up so abruptly either. Usually I'll listen and engage long enough to find out what the organization or mission or program is, explain that I don't make donations or pledges on the phone, and ask for the organization's URL. More than likely, I'll check out the website, and if it's something that I want to support, I'll make an online donation.