[1] Doctor Visit After arriving on time, you are kept waiting for one half hour, then, stripped of your clothes, tapped on the back and without answering one question, given a prescription for an unnamed ailment that turns out costing $50 for a medication consisting mostly of Tylenol and a decongestant. [2] Over and Out In military terms, 'Over' means "I am turning the microphone over to you for further transmission". 'Out' means "I am closing the mike and need no further transmissions". Even in Hollywood you can't have both at the same time. [3] Cars That Beep You are waiting for the light to turn green and before you can press on the accelerator, the car behind you beeps annoyingly for you to get going. [4] People that take forever to buy two items. While standing in the checkout line, the person in front of you with two items is having a long discussion with the check out person. First he (or she) wants to use her change, but doesn't have enough. Then she writes a check, but has no I.D. Then the item she picked has no price and the coupons she has are no longer valid. On and on to infinity. [5] Promo Spots on the News Teaser ads that take up half the time allotted to the news portion of the program. The other half is dedicated to the rest of the story except for the punch line for which you have to 'tune in later'. [6] 800 Numbers That Pass the Buck You are asked to call an 800 number for your bank balance or whatever. A disinterested voice then rattles off a selection of choices, none of which pertain to your problem. After trying all of the choices, a voice asks you if you want her to repeat the choices. No live person in sight. [7] Favors That are Never Returned Your 'best friend keeps leaning on you for rides to work, to pick up something at the store, to mind her kid for a 'minute' and "Could I use your car?" But when asked for a favor, they have no time. [8] Free Offers That Cost $200. Credit card companies love to call at supper to tell you about a 'Free' offer that sounds irresistible with built-in guarantees and optional cancellation privileges. Then you find out that your account was billed for $200 and the day for cancellation was yesterday. [9] Real Estate Leader Ads A newspaper ad shows a gorgeous home for only $249,000 complete with 2 1/2 baths, three bedrooms, an optional finished basement, and a two car garage. Then when you get there you find that the basement (unfinished) costs $20,000 extra and another $24,000 for being finished. The property happens to be a 'premium lot' (not under water) and costs more. All the upgrades in the model are extra and none of the plantings are included. A slab patio is big enough for a folding chair and a potted plant. [10] Herbal Infomercials The only program on your favorite radio station is one half hour extolling the virtues of a fabulous, unbelievable life-saving preparation known only to 13th century monks and the president of the Herbal Supplement Company. Shocking and revealing telephone calls raving about the amazing qualities of their concoction of herbal remedy are interspersed with warnings not to try to replace their magic formula with chamomile (the main ingredient) and an 800 number that informs you of their $39.00 minimum charge. [11] Emails from illiterate Nigerians who insist that their husband has died and left a fortune in untouchable millions of shopeks. We are expected to let them use our bank account in a scheme to defraud their government and ours for a ten per cent cut. Yeah, right. |
