Switch

Well I've just met Arun. Arun Botha to be precise (I have a very good memory when it comes to names on identity cards....). Arun decided to ring my doorbell just as I was tucking into my ham and lettuce bagel. I'd been looking forward to this bagel as I had not eaten since 8am this morning, and had just got home from work. Arun was wearing a shirt with "EDF Energy" embroidered on it. Arun's here to sell me something, I thought. Arun's one of those electricity switchy people. Establishing that proved to be difficult:

"(mumble).... check your electricity"

"you want to check my meter?"

"(indecipherable)... energy rates and electricity"

"so you want to check the meter"

"(waffle)... you the homeowner?"

Arun had a very strong South African accent and it was proving hard to hold a conversation. I thought I'd cut to the chase:

"are you selling me something?"

"no"

"so are you here officially?"

"yes I am official - I have a pass"

"wow. look - we've just switched (a little white lie) so I'm not interested"

"did you protect your passes?"

"passes? what passes?" (I genuinely thought to the meter cupboard)

"you protected your passes?"

"eh?"

"to save money"

"ahhhh! prices!"

"yes, passes"

"well anyway, you are here to sell me something or get me to switch. I don't want to be rude but I'm not interested and am going to shut the door"

"no I'm not selling anything"

"but your aim is to get me to switch to your company?"

"well..."

"so you are sort of selling me something?"

"I am a salesman. I suppose that's the long term aim"

"right. well as I said I'd rather not be rude but I'm not interested. you're asking the wrong person" (I meant this in a few different ways)

"I have your details"

"you do?"

"yes"

"but I am not Robert Nectar (name on his sheet next to number xx) - he does not live here. so you are literally asking the wrong person"

With this small victory under my belt it was time to terminate my conversation with Arun - I had a bagel to eat and a cuppa to drink. Bless him, only doing a job, but please don't invade my privacy, and especially during lunch.