Very Bad Reception: After-School Special

(Some years back, my high school was evacuated due to someone holding a classroom hostage, not that we knew it at the time. It had started out as a fire drill, but it was clear something was very wrong. I was one of several students who decided to go home instead of waiting around for the all clear as an hour had already passed by this time and it seemed unlikely it’d happen. My mother worked close to the high school and usually picks me up, and I didn’t have a cell-phone then, so soon as I got home I called her company.)

Receptionist: *gives the company spiel* “How can I direct your call?”

Me: “Hello, this is [My Name]. I want to leave a message for [Mother] in the [Contracted Company]’s call center. Please tell her there’s some kind of incident at the high school up the street and we had to leave early. ”

Receptionist: “Sure, hon. Bye.” *click*

(My mother ended up arriving home a half-hour later than normal looking extremely stressed out.)

Mother: “Where were you?!”

Me: “You didn’t get the message?”

Mother: “What message?”

Me: “I called the company and told the receptionist what happened and to tell you I wouldn’t be there.”

Mother: “WHAT? I never got the message! There was a shooting at the school and she didn’t think it was important to pass it on?!”

Me: “What?! That’s what happened? No wonder you looked so upset!”

Mother: “Thank god you’re okay, but… what the f***?!”

(The day after she complained, and apparently that receptionist had several similar calls and failed to pass any of them on. I’d like to think she got terminated.)