The Conversation

By Jim Abbott

Rogers and Co; this is Mark speaking.
How may I help you?

"HHHello, my name is Br------------"

Could you speak up sir, I'm having a hard time hearing you?

"----I'm ccccalling to sp----------"

Are you all right sir, is there something that I can do?

"I need to sp,to sp,to sp,-----to talk to---"

Excuse me sir, there's someone on the other line
Thanks for holding, now let's try this one more time

"MMMy name is Br,Br,Brian Mc-----"

I didn't quite get that, could you repeat what you just said?

"I said, my last name is Mc----"

I'm very sorry sir, what was that again?

"---------I'm Brian um--McGin---um---McGinnes"

I have another call, please hold for a minute

Okay now, could you just tell me with whom you wished to speak?

"---There's a ggentle--man named Smith wh,who I wa,was supposed to mmm-----"

Meet? A gentleman named Smith that you were supposed to meet?

"Yes,but I wwould appreciate it if you wouldn't interrupt me when I spea----"

Now sir, would that be Robert or Richard?

"I think it's RRichard, but I'm nnnot really -------um-----sure"

Very well sir, please hold once more
Mr. Smith is not in right now, perhaps you could call back?

"I really nnneed -----to le---um----leave a mmmessage"

Very well sir, but are you sure about that?

"-------Yes, I'm quite sure, why ddddo you ask?"

Well, our voice mail is broke
And I have so much work to do
This call has already lasted far too long
And I'm sure you realize that too
Certainly you can understand
That I'm a very busy man
And with the way that you speak
Well sir, you know
I just don't have all week
So if you don't mind
Perhaps you could call back later
When I have a bit more time

"LLLLListen MMark; it was Mark, wasn't it?
"I've hhhhad about all I'm ggggonna sstand of this!"
"Since you've an,an,an,pppicked up the ---um--pphone
"You've bbbbeeen ac---ting extremely rrrude

Well, I'm terribly sorry sir

"And I am vvvery insulted by your atti--tude!"

I didn't mean to be insult...

"I HHHEARD YOU OUT, YOU SSAID YOU'RE PIECE!!"
"NOW YOU'RE GONNA JUST SSSIT THERE FOR A MMMOMENT"
"AND YOU"RE GONNA LISTEN TO MMME!!!"
"Oh, and I'll dddo my best to try"
"Not to wa,wa,waste too mmuch of your oh so precious time"
" MMark, the one question I'd sssimply llike to ask of you"
"Is hhow wwould you like to sp,sp,spend a few minutes"
"Walking in mmy -----shoes?"
"For people who stu----tter"
"Talking on the ph,phone is a very hard thing"
"And you can't hhave any kkind of idea"
"As to th,th,th,the panic that it br,br,br,brings"
" -----I dddidn't choose to st,st,stutter, it chose me"
"Geez man,don't yyou think that I"d like to be able"
"To sp,speak fluently"
"SSSo my stuttered speech annoy's yyyou, does it now; do tell"
"Well trust mmme, my fr,friend"
"It bothers mmme as well"
"NNow, if you wwould, please inform Mr. Smith that for today's mee----ting"
"Brian McGinnes is going to be a couple of hours late"
"And if that's nnnot good for him, maybe we cccan reschedule"
"PPerhaps at a later date"

Yes I will tell him Mr. McGinnes, and sir
Please accept my apology
And what I said, you are right
It was very rude of me
But I guess at this point there's nothing really I can say
To make up for the insensitive way
In which I have spoken to you
And as I sit and think about it, yes it is very true
How could someone like me possibly have a clue
As to what a person who stutters, a person like you
Every day of your life is forced to go through
Again, Mr. McGinnes, I sincerely do apologize
And for what it's worth, thank you sir
For opening up my eyes

"--------Well then, I ggguess on that nnote"
"I'd say th,th,that our conver,ver,versation is finished"
"So I'll just sssay ggood day to you, Mark"

And good day to you as well, Mr. Brian McGinnes