Thursday 7 May 2015

A Telephone call.

The party with which the farmer and I have the most sympathy (they hope) made me smile this morning.   After a six o'clock news last night when it became obvious that there was nothing of importance in the whole world other than our election, and after an eight o'clock news bulletin on Radio 4 in similar vein, when the phone rang I thought it would be a cold call.   Not at all.   A charming chap asked for the farmer and when I said he was out doing what farmers do during the day - i.e. work outdoors, not sit in the kitchen drinking coffee - he asked if I was the farmer's wife.

When I said I was he said he was just ringing to remind me that it was Election Day!!!   I told him that after blanket coverage I was unlikely to forget the fact.  He then said he was just reminding me of the candidate's name and also the candidate in the local elections too.

It was only after he had rung off that I wondered why I hadn't made some kind of reply to his enquiry for the farmer first and me a poor second when the farmer wasn't available (or am I being unreasonable here?)

It is so easy in these days of so-called equality of the sexes (rubbish!) to get hot under the collar and read too much into things, but I did feel the chap was taking rather a lot forgranted.   Do you agree or is it just me?

22 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

I thoroughly agree the fellow played the chauvinist. Women have had the vote for close to a hundred years and he could as easily assumed you were a voting woman who answered the phone.
But his poor mouth and brain may have been on autopilot by then.

Cro Magnon said...

Do you think that will ever change? Man of the house first; wife afterwards. I fear it might take a few more centuries before something so simple will be rectified.

Gwil W said...

Perhaps he expected you to stick your head out the kitchen window and yell out across the fields like some ancient fishwife . . . very sad. Maybe you'll see him at the polling booth. They are usually loafing about with their clipboards. Then you won't see him until next election.

Heather said...

No, it isn't just you. He deserved a crushing reply. Maybe he needs reminding that women now have the vote!

Cranberry Morning said...

Nope, it's not just you. It's really annoying when people assume that the man of the house is the only one who can talk intelligently about politics or know anything about what's going on politically. After all, aren't you just there to make tea and scrub the floor??!! Yeah. Anyway, just be thankful that your 24/7 coverage isn't about football scandals or celebrity breakups. That's what we've got here. You'd think that nothing of importance is happening anywhere else on the planet! I think that's why the TV news networks are sinking in the ratings and people are getting their news online, more and more.

MorningAJ said...

It's even more annoying when it's actually the woman's house and the man moved in when they got together (we're not married - it's MY name on the deeds!) Don't even get me started on this one.

Cloudia said...

"Is your daddy home?"


Perhaps Farmer's was the name he had on his list?




ALOHA from Honolulu,
ComfortSpiral
=^..^=

angryparsnip said...

I am divorced, the home I live in is mine, name on the deed and I live in a different state from my x.
Yet I get calls/mail on a new number for the x. When they ask if he is there I say NO and hang up.
Just be happy you done with elections. We never are done !

cheers, parsnip

Terra said...

It is probably the farmer's name on the list he is using. We give money to groups and it is almost random whether they use my name or my husband's as the main person. And they will ask for that person.

Rachel Phillips said...

It is possible he knew the farmer, country areas are like this, and when you answered the phone he asked for who he knew; or he might have been looking at the farmer's name on the electoral roll as others have suggested. I think it unlikely he was being plain rude because each party wants all the votes it can get so your caller is hardly likely to want to upset a voter deliberately. I think, with respect, that you are over reacting.

A Heron's View said...

Obviously your caller is behind the times, lets not call him a chauvinist though he may be and certainly did not know your husband is a farmer & that farmers do not sit in the kitchen.
I think Cro is correct change takes time.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Coulda said you were the Farmer's mistress and he was interrupting your, uh, farm chores? Coulda said you were the Farmer and you had to run as your house husband had just put dinner on the table? Yes, I know. I am so bad. Dare I hit publish? Oh, why not?
;) m & jb

Rachel Phillips said...

May I remind Heron that the farmer is semi-retired.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes, you all basically agree - although I do see Rachel's point of view too. Perhaps I would be guilty of the same thing myself if I were in his position. Things don;t change overnight, or even over a generation. Thanks for your contribution.

Terry and Linda said...

I agree with everyone's comments--it wasn't you, it was him!!!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer

the veg artist said...

It could have been worse - he could have asked who you had been told to vote for!
I'd have taken umbrage too - I well remember, when I was first married, being told that I needed my husband to sign something. My name was not good enough, although my money was!

Frances said...

Yes, I do agree with you, although also agree with Rachel that the caller might have been working from a prescribed list. Perhaps the list included names of those suspects who might forget to vote. Certainly you'd not be on that list!

It seems so odd to be able to be listening, as I am, to BBC election coverage via my laptop. Sounds like early exit polls are producing surprises.

Our time zone difference favors my being able to see these results through deep into your overnight hours.

Best wishes, and thanks for your visits over here.

Pondside said...

Like Frances, I'm watching live while you sleep.
I'm of the same mind as you. That poor fellow needs to join the 21st century!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks. We couldn't be bothered to wait up to see the results come in (slowly) - but this morning's news is certainly surprising.

A Heron's View said...

A farmer, even a part time farmer is still a farmer.

Well, no real surprises in the election, SNP take Scotland and that too is what I expected.
The only question on this side of the Irish Sea is will Cameron take the UK out of the EU ?

Elizabeth said...

Yes, really depressing!
I recently sat next to man at a supper party.
I snapped a photo of the host's cat.
He said, "I couldn't have done it better myself."
Um..... for all the information I had given him, I could have been a world famous photographer...(He knew my husband was a painter -and I, presumably, wasn't anything except his wife)
Unevolved men are really very dreary.

From A Worcestershire Hill said...

Your post reminds me of the times many years ago when the Inland Revenue used to send forms to me to give to my husband to ask him to give information regarding MY income. I used to get so angry. I gave the information myself and sent it back