I usually ignore requests to complete surveys but when the Bureau of Vital Statistics phoned us, I decided to cooperate!
What an interesting half hour it turned out to be. As it happened, Ken and I had just finished lunch and were enjoying a cup of tea. The fellow on our speaker phone had a clear, melodious voice as well as a charming manner. Of the two of us seniors, I was chosen to participate. All the questions were to do with health and welfare. I happen to be blessed with extremely good genes and health and possess a keen sense of humor. The fact that I am coming up 90 and take no drugs seemed to really amaze the interviewer.
All his questions re illnesses were answered with a firm 'no' - did I have asthma, high blood pressure, heart trouble, diabetes, etc.? I had to admit I have arthritis in both knees, a 'dowagers hump' and an ileostomy. Could I see and hear well? 'yes' What kind of food did we eat? What kind of activities?
One question was regarding my ethnic background. I replied that both my parents were British but that I was born in an Indian village on the Naas River in northern BC and my paternal grandfather was the first 'white' missionary in that area. That information intrigued the interviewer because he was himself familiar with the territory.
He asked if Ken or I took street drugs (!) which brought an emphatic 'no' and a laugh. Then the crucial inquiry - did we drink alcohol? I answered truthfully that we had one, or maybe two glasses of wine every afternoon. Well, we had a laugh over that and then, me being me, I said "I thought you were going to ask how many times a week we have sex" Well, the young man thought that was hilarious and we finished the interview on a very warm note.
I told him one of my activities is writing a blog. Bless his heart, he wanted to know how he could read my blog as he felt it would be entertaining!
The interview made our day and seemed to make his day, too. It wasn't the usual run-of-the-mill survey.
It just shows how an ordinary day can have an unexpected bright moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment