And Not Because I Shouted at Him ...

I had another scam phone call at work. You know the ones - "Hello, how are you, sir? Good! I am calling from Microsoft technical support warning about scammers who are trying to take over your computer. OK? We need your IP address."

Then further down the line, if you are a dope and believe they are stopping scammers, you give them access to your PC and they delete files or ransom it back to you. Oh, the irony!

So usually I brighten my day by messing with them for a bit. Maybe put on a completely non-understandably-strong Scottish accent, lead the conversation in circles or whatever I can do to try and annoy them as much as they annoy all of us.

But yesterday a call took a new turn, and I'm still thinking about it. The call went as follows:

"Hello, this is Patrick. I am calling you today, about your computer." spoke Patrick, who was a weary sounding man, with a strong Indian or Pakistan accent.
"Hello Patrick, how can I help?"
"I am calling to say that there are scammers online who are trying to take over your computer." I am sure, the person who thought of this script, pretending to help with stopping scammers, received a big promotion. It's pretty common.

"I know EXACTLY what you mean, Patrick. There are lots of scammers online. There are also lots of scammers on the telephone. Isn't it terrible?..." Que dramatic pause, to see if he gets what I am implying. He does.
"Yes." Patrick spoke sadly. There was a very long pause, as I grinned and just waited to see if he would continue with the script, or just put the phone down, which are the two routes it usually goes at this point.

"I just want to say one thing to you." Patrick continued slowly, he sounded even more weary than before. "I am not like the others in the office here. Every day I look for a new, better, honest job. I pray for a new job. I look for a new better life, than this." he was getting choked up at this point, I was pretty shocked at the sudden intensity. I usually just mess with these callers and don't consider them as real people. Aside from bastard, crooked, preying, scam artist people!

"It is just so hard." Patrick continued, his words caught at times and I realised he was trying to hold back from crying "There are no jobs. It is so hard to provide for my family and provide for my children."

I really did not know what to say, I just replied with a lame "Thank you, for your honesty, Patrick... I am sorry to hear that."

"I hope you can find it in your heart to bless me and pray I find a better job?" Well, I did not see this call going like this!

"Sure. I really do wish you good luck and I hope you find a better job soon."
Patrick said "Thank you." in the most crushed and sad tone I have ever heard from a man, and put the phone down.

I can't think of an eloquent conclusion to write, apart from saying how it was a big shock to be hit with Patrick's reality on the end of the phone. How hard it must be to try to survive in some areas of the world.

I think I have become pretty good at ignoring the media when it covers how bad conditions are in some places overseas. But when a guy calls and tells me this while on the edge of crying, I'm feeling pretty bad for him and the whole situation over there.

'Patrick' will never see this, but if i could call him back, I would really like to talk to him about helping to get him a new job.

FP EDIT: Imgur likes! Awesome :D Send traditional recipes from your part of the world!