PERKY PERKY PERKY!

Contrary to what you might think, I have NO problem with people who sound perky. Not all ‘perky’ is bad, there actually is such a thing as ‘good perky’.

One of my all-time favourite phone-people is a Florida collections agent, originally from Texas, who sounds charming and perky on the phone, why, you’d think she was a lovely little teenager!
Vibrant, lively, full of piss-and-vinegar.
Probably cute as a button!
She’s actually older than me, and has a keen mind and a ready wit.

[Yes, Kevin, you know who I'm talking about.]


There is also ‘bad perky’.

That’s when you think you’ve just encountered the female version of Chucky on the phone.
Such as the teenage missy in left in charge of her uncle’s shop last week when I called regarding a past-due invoice.
She giggled. Said ‘uh huh’ several times. Asked me what I was calling about (a past-due invoice, like I already mentioned… twice), exclaimed "you're funny!" Then hung up on me.


I'M FUNNY

That is precisely the wrong answer.
I called back.
With even worse results.

So I called the home number of the businessman, left an icy message on his answering machine, faxed the invoices in question over to his office with a displeased comment scrawled upon them, and sent him an e-mail with the invoices attached, in which I mentioned that the juveniles in charge of the store had probably not taken down my message correctly (no, they didn't drop their crayon, they just didn't take down diddly squat), indicated the urgency of the matter, and courtesy-copied the salesrep whose account it is.

Bad perky!  No bon-bon!

The very next morning he was the very first person to call me.
Apologized, offered a credit card for all of the past-dues, and attempted to ingratiate like topsy.
See, that's what "perky" gets you.
When that perkiness is combined with 'brainless twit'.


When 'perky' combines with 'smart as a whip', you get the attentive young lady with whom I spoke on the phone yesterday. Sweet, bright, and cheerfully vivacious. 
I very much look forward to talking to her again.
She took down a complete detailed message, gave me the accountant's contact data - phone number, e-mail address, his name and the correct spelling of same, as well as his hours - then firmly requested that I call her back if there was no resolution by Thursday.

Very capable. Very intelligent. Very perky.

She sounded all of twelve years old.

When she grows up, I might like to meet her.

She's probably from Texas.



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