Today's snapshot from my life:

[Ring, Ring!]
Me: Pronto?
[BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.]
Me: hmmm. click.


20 minutes later:
[Ring, Ring!]
Me: Pronto?
[BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.]
Me: ARGH. click.


45 minutes after THAT:
[Ring, Ring!]
Me: Pronto?
[BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.]
Me: NOW this is getting ridiculous... click.

2 hours later ... me, attempting to make a call out:

Me: picking up receiver.
[EMPTY SILENCE WHERE THERE SHOULD BE DIAL TONE]
Me: heavy sigh.

Without boring you with the details, this scenario has replayed itself with reasonably predictable frequency for the last 2 days.

I'm no technician, but methinks we've got a phone problem.

It bears saying that Telecom Italia trumps every drivers' license issuing agency I have ever patronized, in lack of efficiency and capability to be pleasant. Double that irritation factor when trying to find someone who will be patient with my cobbled-together Italian. The thought of having to do technical Italian via phone literally fills me with dread.

And besides, how, exactly, do I call to tell them there's a problem?!?

Yesterday, I just unplugged it rather than deal with the ringing, thinking maybe a little time would make it go away (classic avoidance behavior).

Today my patience level plummeted ...



Ya know, I've always hated talking on the phone, anyhow. I'm now researching what it would take to raise a flock of carrier pigeons rather than having to try to get this fixed.