Sheep Shots: Interview with the Vampire

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Interview with the Vampire

The Monday before Thanksgiving, I received an email that I deleted unopened. By way of explanation, I get maybe 100 emails at workovernight, every day. Most of them (about 95% or more) are chances for me to buy stock or watches, or drugs. Most of them have interesting subject lines like: "Top News" and "Answer to your request," so if I don't recognize the sender's name and the subject is generic, I likely delete without opening.

E's email subject was "Information." It doesn't get more generic than that, does it? So it was canned along with all the others, without ever seeing the light of day.

This past Monday, I had a voice mail message from J who turned out to be E's mother, telling me that I hadn't responded to her daughter's very important email, graduation project yadda yadda. So I did a little research in my recycle can (fortunately, I had a date for reference) and found the email. I can't quote it here (it's there, I'm here, but I wouldn't in any event).

E introduced herself and launched right into her pitch to "interview me via email" for her graduation project on "Hunger in America" which includes many requirements, including an interview. She asked if it would be okay for her to submit a list of questions that I could answer for her. Aside from the very obvious that my devious mind is constructing (that I'd be writing her paper as she could just cut and paste my answers), is this how "interviews" are conducted these days?

I replied that I would be happy to talk to her at any time and that she could "call me."

The next morning, I got a call from J. Yep, "Mom." She explained that E is in school until 3 (which is when I leave) and asked if she could read me the questions and record my answers for E. I declined and told her that I am in at 6:30 every morning and often do these sorts of phone things at that hour (had just done one that very day, in fact, for about 45 minutes!).

Besides, isn't there a school break coming up? And whose project is this anyway? It's been 4 days. E hasn't called yet.

I have half a mind to contact the school. But I won't.

.

// posted by Ann @ 12/03/2005 07:43:00 AM

Comments:

gee, was that spam?

anyway, your title is too funny, as i had just finished listening to "The Vampire Lestat" by Anne Rice on book tape in my car! too funny!

# posted by

dragon knitter : 11:27 PM

Possibly.

Did you know that Anne Rice wrote some pretty remarkable erotica/porn under another name?

# posted by

Ann : 5:47 AM

Ya know, I just had a somewhat similar experience with a class project. A kid emailed after seeing my website and asked a bunch of questions about my work. I answered (lengthy) and I never heard another word! Sigh.

# posted by

Anonymous : 1:11 AM

I won't do it any more!

Yesterday, I had a call from the mother of a prospective Eagle Scout =
(honest, trustworthy, you know the drill) wanting me to sign off on the =
kid's project.

I told her that I'd be happy to sign, "have him call me tomorrow =
(today). I'm in at 6:30."

We'll see. .

# posted by

Ann : 5:26 AM