Tales from the Workplace, Part VIII

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I am posting stories from my job, because I think they're funny.  I've done my best to disguise my company name, even the industry, and to keep the people I write about and even some details of the situation anonymous.  If you know me, and know where I work, please don't include details in your comments.  I'll have to delete your comment and reconsider posting these stories.
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I received a phone call:

Me:  Good morning, [my company name], this is Shawna, how can I help you?

Caller:  Yes, I'd like to speak to your manager.  (She doesn't ask for anyone by name, nor does she know what my title is to know whether I'm the person she should speak to or not.  Just automatically wants my manager.)

Me:  May I ask what it's regarding?

Caller:  My name is Catherine*.

Me:  Hi, Catherine, may I ask what it's regarding?

Caller:  My name is Catherine, and I"m calling from the [local newspaper] but it's not to sell advertising or anything else.  May I speak with your manager, please?  (Again, she still doesn't know whether I'm someone she could speak with about her call, and she still hasn't told me what it IS regarding, but whatever.  My boss takes sales calls all the time and actually takes quite some glee in getting rid of them.)

Me:  Sure, hold on, please.

My Boss:  This is [his name].

[Silence, while he listens to the caller]

My Boss:  No thank you, we're not interested.

Turns out she wasn't lying, exactly--she wasn't selling advertising, and technically wasn't selling anything.  No, she was "providing the opportunity" for us to donate newspapers to local schools, by giving the newspaper company money.  So basically they were asking for money, without anything (for us) in return.  Um, it may not technically be selling, but it doesn't endear us to how you handled introducing yourself any more than selling would have, in fact less so since you were very underhanded.  Good try, though.




*  Name changed to protect...well, her.