I never answer our telephone as we have a machine that does a very good job of doing that! I just wait as it invites a message, and then I listen and decide whether to pickup the call or not. Needless to say, I never have to suffer aggressive or irrelevant sales tactics. People who know me will, however start leaving a very calculated message … well let me give you an example:

The phone rang yesterday and, after the machine had done its job, I heard “Dad its me… pickup the phone. It’s your favorite daughter! Don’t pickup the phone. Just call me right back!”

Anybody who knows Melanie (only 1 of you that I am aware of), will know that she is my only daughter so being my favorite is a given! As for changing her mind about who is going to pay for the call (because that is exactly what it was)? No surprises there! When Melanie calls, and the call can last 30 minutes or more, the resulting charge (she lives 2500 miles away) can be significant.

The question is often asked “What did you guys talk about?” My answer is always the same. “I don’t really have a conversation too often with Melanie. She talks and I listen!” I am not surprised that our conversations are so often one-sided  because she lives on her own, and is not able to work. Work colleagues and partners are the way many us express our day today interests, happenings and frustrations. She doesn’t have those opportunities too often!

Anyway, having explained the dynamics involved, I called her back! Her reason for the call was to thank you all for both the financial support, and the many lovely words of support and encouragement generated from the Post about her GoFundMe project.

https://meandray.com/2017/02/19/a-very-different-post/

Because of her lack of internet, I decided that it would be a great affirmation of her being if I printed out the Post, together with all the Comments, plus the re-blogs, and sent it all to her. It was quite the  package!

She was quite overwhelmed by all your support (I really do have the best group of Followers out there!) and just wanted me to express her thanks to not only those of you who contributed to the GoFundMe program, but to all of you who took the time out of your day to say such nice things. Reading through that package was the best spirit lifter she could have had!

So… from Melanie … huge thanks to everybody. She was quite moved by your interest and support. From me? Likewise! It is these unusual circumstances when total strangers respond positively to an individual’s predicament, that are worth cherishing. Regardless of how screwed up our species sometimes appears to be, this is tangible proof that the whole concept of caring for a total stranger in another  part of the world, is not dead!

Thank you Melanie. You have, once again, proved what I have always believed (but sometimes have difficulty finding evidence to support that belief), that there is a future for the human(e) race after all!