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Happy Birthday Call

This year on my birthday, I had J's friends trooping into the house with hand made birthday cards and gifts. One kid had made a bird feeder by gluing a plastic bowl inside a envelope and filling it with birdseed. This was my new bird-feeder. The other had a card with a picture of herself in the soccer field complete with a gap-toothed smile.

I was very flattered to be remembered by so many cute little kids. J had already wished me, filled a bag with "treasures" - little notes of love and birthday wishes. Being a mom in a neighborhood full of kids brings unexpected joys such as this. I felt loved and grateful. Then late in the evening, I got a happy birthday call from Versicom.

Apparently, my tax preparer had decided to wish me using this service where a recorded voice signs happy birthday to you . I am glad they skipped the personalization because I would have cringed to hear my name butchered. Since this was a first for me, I was amused at the idea. I would have not liked it if every service provider who deals with me and has my date of birth and phone number on file decides to go the canned birthday greeting route - it would be very seriously irritating.

It was slightly annoying that the Versicom service called me a few times until I answered - a voice mail message would have sufficed. When it comes to cards made on random pieces of paper by five and six year olds, each on is a treasure because it is the thought that counts. With an automated system that starts calling and singing whenever a birthday trigger event occurs the idea turns pesky right after the first instance.

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