Company Policies

I ran into a situation today that ticks me off. I can understand the policy, especially when a number of my husband's co-workers push personal calls to extremes. But in this case, I think some modification needs to be made.

I rarely call my husband at work. Years ago, I'd called him because I was having a rough day (I used to have panic attacks daily) and I needed to hear his voice. The secretary who answered rudely hung up on me and told me never to call again with trivial matters, so I turned to my former sister-in-law to help me through the rough spots instead. Now I'll only call him if it's pretty important.

So today, I really needed him to pick up something at the store before he heads home. I called his work and the receptionist tells me they have a new policy this month - no personal calls at all unless it is a matter of life or death. So, I asked if she could take a message then and she refused. Said I could tell him myself when he gets home.

Where my husband works, cell phone reception is a major issue - they are right behind the National Guard base and near the airport so cell phone service is limited at best unless they are outside. So now, I have no way of texting him a message or getting a call through until he is in his car, and even then he barely knows how text messaging works and he won't answer a call when he's driving. So this means the milk I needed is now something I'll have to go out and drive 10 miles to get myself - when it could have been a quick stop on his way home.

I do understand that some of my husband's co-workers have abused the phone call privilege. However, if they kept track of who is getting the calls, they'd see that the last time I called my husband was back in the spring when I'd taken the kids to a friend's house for dinner. It's not like I call him three times a day like these other guys he works with. And even at that, if I can't personally speak to him, that's okay, but they should be able to get messages to their workers. Outright refusal is a little too big-brotherish for me.